Inuyasha: Secret of the Shadow Jewel
by opalistic8
Summary: An Inuyasha story starring Aoi Higurashi, Kagome's cousin, my OC. Join Inuyasha, Kagome and Aoi on their adventures through Feudal Japan as they encounter danger, adventure and romance! New chapters almost every day!
1. Introduction

Kage Houseki no Himitsu  
-Introduction-

Tokyo, Japan

Hello! My name is Higurashi Aoi. I'm fifteen years old, and I live in Hokkaido, Japan. That's a bit strange, seeing as the rest of my family live in Tokyo... Hm. I need to remember to ask my folks why that is... I live with my mother, father, older sister and Labrador, Kushi. Father runs a small take-away Fish shop, which sells fish, octopus, flake, squid... you name it, we have it. Well, fish-wise, anyway. I'm almost finished with my first year of high school - or at least, I would have been, if I hadn't practically stopped attending school except to play soccer with my club. Hey, I see no reason for an aspiring rock artist to attend subjects like math and English. It's a waste of time.

I guess you could call me a normal person. To an extent. I'm of average height - actually, make that shorter than average; my shoes are a lot taller than most other people's, so it makes me look taller - and I'm Japanese. But from a glance, you probably wouldn't know it.

Weird-thing-about-me-number-one: I have green eyes. I know, for you foreigners, green eyes aren't that big a deal. But even though in anime and manga, there's usually at least one character with green or blue eyes, finding an eye colour that isn't hazel, light brown, brown or dark brown is actually quite rare, amongst full Japanese. For a "Haffu", perhaps. But typically not for a Japanese person.

Weird-thing-about-me-number-two: I have blue hair. Yup, you heard me: blue. And it's not that hair you see rock stars have, with either streaks of blue or an attempt to dye it that doesn't work. Mine is bright blue, all the way through. Because of this monstrosity of mine, I've always worn my hair quite short, except for my bangs, since I have a huge forehead, and almost always wear a hat of some description. But I can assure you that even doctors, who have called me a 'mutant freak' on more than one occasion, are baffled about my strange hair colour. Meh.

I have typical Asian-tanned skin, and I'm well toned, thanks to my soccer club. I'm always wearing a hat, the reason being said above, and I love to wear shorts. Whether those shorts are tiny and tight, big and baggy, camo or fluro, I'll wear them. Shorts are awesome. I shall always wear shorts.

Anyway, I always wear the same design of shirt: big and baggy, so big that the neck often slips off my shoulder on one side. For this reason, I wear a singlet underneath the shirt. The shirt always depicts one of my favourite rock bands; some days it's HIGH and MIGHTY Color, some days it's Nightmare, some days it may even have Chieco Kawabe. It all depends on what mood I'm in and what concert I've been to recently.

I like to wear sandals; they're platforms, but I find them a lot more comfortable that flat shoes or high-heels. Most people seem unable to run in them; I find it easier to push myself forward when my feet are higher off the ground. Again, I'm weird.

Well, this whole description-of-myself thing is getting kind of old. So let's move on to the visit with my family in Tokyo.

My family in Tokyo are all pretty cool; my grandfather, aunt and two cousins live in a Shinto shrine in the middle of the city; it's really, really neat. I'd give everything I have to be able to live in a shrine like that; you wouldn't have to pay for New Years prayers! Haha. Anyway, once every three years, my family and I go to visit these relatives of ours; last time I went, I was twelve. My youngest cousin, Souta, must have been... what, seven? Such a little tyke then. I'd only seen pictures of them for the past three years; I missed them dearly.

So, as you can probably tell by now, I was ecstatic when that time of year came again. Father closed his shop, Mother packed up her cooking utensils and the dog kennel, and my Onee-sama sat in the car blowing her chewing gum and doing nothing to help out. I packed my own belongings as well as Onee-sama's, and hauled them into the back of the car.

Kushi would sit in the back with the bags; Onee-sama and I would sit on the middle seats; Mother and Father would sit in the driver and passenger seats. Father would be driving, of course. Apparently, even driving from our town to the ferry port, from the ferry port on the mainland to the highway, then the highway to Tokyo was a man's job.

The trip always seemed to take forever, though in truth it was only a few hours. I was sick of my sister's chattering after twenty minutes of being in the car with her. Onee-sama, being seventeen, was at the age where nothing could shut her up. I turned up the volume on my MP3 Player and tried to tune her out.

It was dark when we finally pulled up in front of the Shrine. It looked the same as it always did; the flight of steps that climbed the steep hill, framed by tall, thick red poles that crisscrossed over our heads and led the way into the shrine, the shrubs that lined the ancient, cobbled path. So many times I'd tripped on these steps and scraped my knee... such good memories.

I ran up the steps when the main house came into view over the fence; the sweeping, old-looking roof looked the same as it always did, too. The sacred tree loomed in the background, its leaves still green from the recently-passed summer. I cleared the stairs easily (I silently thanked whatever had inspired me to join the soccer club), and slowed down slightly so I could look around.

The Higurashi family was waiting in the doorway that led to their house; Mrs Higurashi, my aunt, was standing behind Grandfather. Grandfather had his hand on Souta's shoulder - my lord, he'd hardly grown at all! - who was standing beside Kagome.

My face split into a huge smile. "Kagome-chan!"

"Aoi!" Kagome cried back; we broke into a run, and caught each other in a hug mid-way, laughing happily.

"I missed you!" I laughed, pulling back to see her face clearer. She'd become a lot prettier than when we'd parted three years ago; her dark hair was longer and thicker, her face longer and more adult-looking. She was taller than me now. That irked me, seeing as I was a few months older than her. She hadn't yet changed out of her school uniform; it somehow made her look older. I didn't know why. I could feel from our embrace that she'd also become a lot more muscular.

"And I missed you," Kagome grinned. She closed her eyes and smiled. "It's been so long, yet you've hardly changed at all!"

"Liar," I pouted. "I've grown."

"Sure, only because you're wearing those huge shoes," Kagome pointed out with a chuckle. "Where did you get those? They're really cute."

"There's a small department store in our town that custom-makes shoes; I asked for them," I replied, happy that nothing had changed between us. I always feared that something would drift away in our relationship, over the years that parted us, and we'd drift further away. But that hadn't happened yet, and for that I was glad.

"Oh; I should go there one day," Kagome said. She glanced over my shoulder at the rest of my family. "Sakura-san! Aunt Ichigo! Uncle Roku!"

And so it was. After the usual reunion in which we teased each other, made comparisons of ourselves from years passed, and joked about what was to become of us in later years, Mrs Higurashi asked us to join them for a short dinner before bed. Not much was said apart from the sounds of chewing at the table; I was starving. From the looks of it, everyone else in both Higurashi families were too. We laughed as Kushi chased Buyo around the room. I noticed that Kagome was continuously glancing at the clock. I dismissed this, and continued eating and chatting.

Mrs Higurashi gave me and Onee-sama a room to share - I knew this room was usually Kagome's (she was sharing with Souta), so I treated it with respect - and bid us goodnight.

When I woke up the next morning, Kagome was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

Kage Houseki no Himitsu  
-Chapter 1-

Tokyo, Japan

During our month-long stays at Higurashi Shrine, which occurred every three years, I usually didn't do anything except hang out with my cousin, Kagome. Since she had disappeared three days ago, after the first day of my arrival at the Shrine, I had absolutely nothing to do.

It was strange that nobody seemed to mind that Kagome was missing; when I asked Onee-sama where she might be, my sister just flicked a page of her magazine and said she didn't know or, frankly, care. Mother and Father said that she'd probably found a boyfriend, and was out somewhere with him. When I asked Souta, the boy paled and scuttled away. Maybe he was sick. Mrs Higurashi agreed with my parents, saying she was probably out with her boyfriend. She had a smirk on her face as she said that. Again, I didn't know why.

Grandfather's explanation was the most comical. He invented a huge story about how Kagome had contracted a killer virus and had been sent to a foreign hospital for treatment, and wasn't allowed visitors. The way he explained it almost made me double over with laughter.

The fact was, though, that Kagome was nowhere to be found.

Since we were young, the first I came here being when Kagome and I were both newborns, we had wandered the Shrine, nearby park and forest. We'd invented games and storylines that we played along with, and went on huge pretend adventures into the past and future. Of course, I hadn't expected us to play those childish games anymore, but I had kind of wanted to at least see my favourite cousin more than once while I was here.

Put out, I went outside; the courtyard that separated the business part of the Shrine from the house part was cold and breezy, the ancient cobble-stones seeming to glow. I walked about the Shrine to all of mine and Kagome's favourite haunts and hideouts; they hadn't changed at all, just like everything else around here.

Noticing the lack in changes, I gave myself a goal: to walk about the shrine and try to find something that was different. I was determined to find _something_.

After half an hour of wandering the Shrine and failing to accomplish my goal (apart from a broom leaning against a wall here and a bird hopping along the stairs there), I slumped down onto a small flight of stairs that led from the main courtyard to a much smaller one. I rested my chin on my fists and pouted.

The small courtyard was framed by trees on the right and directly in front of me. On the left side of me was a much smaller Shrine than the main establishment. I remembered what this place was: it was the Bone Eater's well. I vaguely remembered Kagome telling me once, many visits ago, that anyone who opened the doors to the well and went inside would break the seals blocking the evil spirits, and would be cursed.

Without Kagome here, it would be the perfect time to explore the Bone Eater's well.

I leapt to my feet, a wicked smile blooming on my lips, and danced to the ancient, sliding door that led to the well. I hesitated for only a moment; I didn't really believe in curses and the like anymore.

I gripped the handle of the door, and pushed it. To my surprise, it wasn't locked, nor did it stick in its frame. As if it had been opened frequently, despite Kagome's prediction of disaster. Inside the Shrine, it was dark and dusty. It smelled like a derelict building. The walls were lined with a board-walk that went all the way around; but my eyes were focused on the six stairs that led down from the board-walk to the dirt floor, and to what must have been the Bone Eater's well.

I carefully walked down the stairs; they looked so old that they might have snapped under my feet. The well was very deep, and so dark that I almost couldn't see the bottom. I wondered if it had ever held water – the bottom, from was I could see, looked so dusty that there couldn't possibly be any water down there now. Brown, dead vines still clung to the stone walls, skeletons of what they must have once been. The top of the well was framed with wood.

The whole place was starting to creep me out. I took a step back from the well – and trod on something. I jumped away from it, only to discover that I had stepped on a lone sock. Baffled as to why the sock would be here in the Shrine, I picked it up. It hadn't been worn yet, though it was dusty on one side from where it had been lying in the dirt. It must not have been there long.

An idea tweaked in my mind. My head slowly turned to look at the well again. I stepped back to its edge, and peered into the darkness.

"… Kagome?"

No reply.

"Kagome? Are you down there?"

No reply. Of course. I stepped back again from the well, feeling incredibly stupid. I turned back to the stairs, about to take the sock to Mrs Higurashi to wash. Buyo had probably stolen it and brought it in here.

That was when I heard the wailing.

I leapt just about out of my skin; the noise sounded like a cat in pain, a drawn-out, mewling cry. The sound was so high-pitched that it hurt my ears.

And it was coming from inside the well.

Confused, I once again trotted back to the edge of the well. Yes, it was definitely coming from in there. I squinted, trying to see if there was something in there. "Hello?"

The wailing continued without change; maybe it became a little more pitiful.

I did something incredibly stupid then. Yes, I know it was not a very smart thing to do; I sometimes wish that I hadn't done it. But I did.

I climbed onto the edge of the well, hesitated for a moment, then leapt down into the blackness.

The wailing immediately increased in volume so drastically that I screwed my eyes shut and clamped my hands over my ears. I felt a sensation of hot, then cold, then hot again – and then I felt nothing at all.


	3. Chapter 2

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 2-

Current location unknown

Hot sunlight woke me up. I didn't recall falling asleep; I'd probably landed wrong and knocked myself out. Groaning, I slowly sat up, my right hand shielding my eyes from the bright sunlight.

I looked around me; I was still inside the Bone Eater's well. I sighed drearily, and slowly clambered to my feet. Everyone would probably be worried about me by now, seeing as how I'd gone out of the house and never come back. That made me start to wonder how long I'd been asleep in the first place.

Examining the wall, I noticed it was full of nooks and crannies, and the surface of the stones were quite roughly cut; plenty of hand- and foot-holds. Grasping some of the thick, green vines to help me along, I started to climb up the side of the well.

Fate must have inspired me to get fit and strong with my soccer club; I was able to climb all the way up the well's edge without panting too hard. I gripped the wooden top of the well, and hauled myself up, my eyes half-closed with exertion. As I glanced around me, they popped wide open.

I was in the middle of a forest.

After pausing for a brief moment, I swung my legs over the top of the well, and slithered on my rump onto the bare dirt beside the well.

Blinking a few times, I tried to take in my surroundings further; it was quiet, but not silent: birds and cicadas chirped, and a light breeze rustled the leaves on the branches of the dozens – hundred – of trees.

"… Kagome?" I squeaked, my voice high-pitched with fear. "Are you here?"

I was given no reply except for the barking of a frog, somewhere in the distance.

I immediately broke down into hysterical tears.

I know, I know; crying never solves anything, and all that. It's just a bad habit I have. As soon as I get lost, in whatever sense of the term, or have a feeling of hopelessness, I start blubbering. I'd done so quite a few times while taking an exam at school or in a stressful situation at home. It really annoyed me.

I forced myself to calm down somewhat; I was hiccoughing now instead of wailing. I just needed to find something familiar; this well was exactly the same as the well at Kagome's shrine; that must mean that they were at least linked in some way. I got to my feet, attempting to dry my wet cheeks, and began walking determinedly down a grassy path that seemed to cut through the forest.

After just a few paces, I saw what had to be the Sacred Tree.

Gasping with relief, I ran as fast as I could, my eyes still blurred with tears, toward the tree. I knew from memory that the tree was adjacent to the main house at the Shrine. That must mean that it was close even now, despite the apparent lack of habitation.

I could see now why I still couldn't hear anything.

The tree stood where it always had, tall and strong, the weird patch of bark that had never grown still there. But there was no house. No paving. No people.

I was alone in this forest.

I could feel another wave of hysteria coming on; I gulped a few lungfulls of air, and glanced about me, trying to find something familiar that would calm me down.

A path. Different to the one I'd just run down. It stretched away from me, then curved toward a thin line of smoke that curled lazily through the sky.

Smoke? Fire. People!

I stumbled to the path, wiping my eyes again, determined to stop crying, and picked up my pace.

The path was long and winding, but it eventually brought me to where I wanted to be; the outskirts of a tiny village, with no more than twenty houses, separated by a small river, was apparent on the horizon.

Wiping my brow, I slowed down to a jog (I had been sprinting as fast as I could since my eyes had finally cleared). As the village bounced in my view, I saw a shape in my peripheral vision; a person? I skidded to a stop, and swung around to view them fully.

It was a man, shorter than me with my huge sandals on, wearing a very strange-looking piece of clothing. The colours were fading and it was patched with dirt. His hairstyle was what really stood out to me, though; I'd only ever seen it in picture books and old paintings. Was he a cosplayer, or something?

The man had seen me, too. He'd been bent over, digging something in the field he was standing in, but he had straightened so abruptly that I was surprised he hadn't cracked his back. He stared at me, and I stared at him.

Suddenly, he stumbled away from me, then turned and ran helter-skelter for the village, yelling something at the top of his lungs. I could hear what he was saying.

"Demon! A demon is attacking the village!"


	4. Chapter 3

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 3-

Small village, country unknown

As the man ran away from me, I caught sight of movement in the village; men and women gathering up weapons and children respectively, and hurrying into huts or to the edge of the village. The 'weapons' the men shook in my directions comprised of bows and arrows, hoes, sickles and wood-cutting axes, most of which were probably blunt from overuse.

I couldn't comprehend the situation. The man had been shouting about a demon, yet as far as I could tell, I was the only being within a few miles of the village. I took off my cap and scratched my head in confusion.

This seemed to only agitate them further. Some drew back with gasps of fear, whereas others starting hurling threats and insults.

Even more confused, I started to walk slowly towards them with my hands raised in a way that hopefully conveyed that I wasn't a threat.

"Leave this place, beast! We don't want you here! Please leave in peace, demon-sama!"

"It's Kaede-sama!"

The last shout caused the other shouts to die down, and the villagers parted; I was only about fifty meters away from the village outskirts now, so I could clearly see the person who stood there.

It was a short, fairly fat old woman wearing what I immediately recognised to be the clothes of a Shinto priestess. She had long, grey hair tied in a ponytail and an eye-patch over her right eye. She walked to the front of the bristling crowd of villagers, seeming to calm them somewhat with her presence.

"Who be ye?" She called to me. Without waiting for a reply, she went on. "We ask ye, kind demon, to leave this village in peace; we have nothing of value to you here."

I blinked. These people really thought I was a demon? Seriously? But why would they-?

Oh.

With sudden realisation, I jammed my cap back onto my head, covering most of my sky-blue hair from view.

"Please," I called back, "I'm not a demon! I'm lost – I'm looking for my cousin, Higurashi Kagome-san. Do you know where she is?"

Kagome's name seemed to further arouse the villager's suspicions. "Kagome-sama? Demon-sama is after Kagome-sama? Oh, Kagome-sama!"

My hopes perked. "You know Kagome? Is she here?"

The old woman, Kaede, hesitated. "She is not here."

My hopes shattered. I hung my head, tears stinging at my eyes again.

"Did ye perchance come from Inuyasha's Forest, girl?" I heard Kaede ask. I nodded.

"I came from that forest over there… out of the Bone Eater's well…"

There was a collective gasp from the villagers, then more whispers and mutters.

Kaede nodded, as if it had been what she'd expected. "Nay, Kagome is not here; ye may stay in this village until she returns."


	5. Chapter 4

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 4-

Kaede's Village, Feudal Era

"'Feudal Era?'" I repeated, stunned. "This is the Feudal era?"

"Aye, that be what Kagome called it," Kaede confirmed, pouring tea from an ancient, black kettle.

"The Feudal era…" I'd travelled in time? But why was there a time-travelling well in Kagome's backyard in the first place? And why was Kagome travelling into the distant past so often that people knew her as "Kagome-sama"?

"Um… when will Kagome be back, do you think?" I asked Kaede hesitantly. The old woman furrowed her brow, thinking.

"Hm… methinks perhaps a few weeks, since she left three days ago with Inuyasha, Miroku-san, Shippou-kun and Sango-san."

"Who're – wait, _a few weeks_?! " I dropped the steaming cup of tea I'd been given; Kaede nonchalantly threw me a rag to mop up the mess. "I can't stay here for a few weeks! What about my parents?! They'll be_ gone_ in a few weeks!"

Before Kaede could reply, a shout arose from outside the hut. "Kagome-sama! It's Kagome-sama!"

"Back already?" Kaede said in surprise as I leapt to my feet; I shoved them into my sandals and ripped open the thatched flap that hung in place of the door. I could see Kagome from where I stood; she still hadn't changed out of her school uniform. How strange.

I sprinted headlong for Kagome; one of the people she was standing with – a boy wearing a bright red kimono with white hair (what was with that?) – saw me, and shouted something I didn't catch. Kagome let out a puff of air with a grunt as I barrelled into her.

"Kagome! _Kagome_!"

"What the – who the hell is this?!" I heard someone snarl. Kagome gasped.

"Wha – Aoi?!"

She pulled me back with surprising strength. I stared up at her, my wide eyes full of tears. "Aoi, what are you doing here?"

"I… I… I was looking for you but you weren't there, then I saw a bird and a broom, then the sock was there and the well and the cat was screaming so I jumped in and fell asleep only I don't remember falling asleep and I was in a forest and the Sacred Tree was there but the Shrine wasn't, then I cried and ran away, then they were calling me a demon and they didn't like my hair and Kaede-ba-chan saved me and that red guy yelled at me and now you're here and I wanna go home right now!"

"Aoi!" Kagome said firmly, shaking me slightly. I hiccoughed. "It's. Oh. Kay. Calm down and stop crying."

"Again… who the hell is this?" The red guy asked impatiently.

"Aoi," Kagome explained. "She's my cousin; her family is staying at the Shrine for a while."

"What's with her hair?" Someone asked. I glanced down to see a tiny boy with bright orange hair and a bushy tail. Wait, a _tail_?

"It's certainly a strange colour," a woman with long, black hair and pink eye-shadow agreed. "Is this normal in your country, Kagome-chan?"

"Not really," Kagome admitted. "She was born with it."

"She smells weird," the red guy said bluntly; I now noticed that he had yellow eyes and white dog ears. Who was _this_ freak?

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, then glared at him angrily. "_Sit, boy_!"

A bead necklace around the boy's neck glowed bright purple; with a yelp, he was thrown hard to the ground.

"Kyaa! A-are you okay?" I gasped, turning slightly to stare down at him.

"He's a cockroach. He won't die so easily," the orange-haired boy said defiantly.

"Shippou… I swear I'll kill you…" Inuyasha growled, his face still in the dirt.

"Now that I look closer," said a tall man wearing a purple robe, "You're quite beautiful, Aoi-san."

Before anyone could react, he'd pushed Kagome to the side and grabbed both my hands in his own. "Will you do me the honour of bearing my child?"

Two fists connected with the man's skull before I could yelp and tug my hands away. The woman with long hair and Kagome glared at him.

"Must you say that line every time you meet a girl, lecherous monk?" The woman asked icily.

"S-sorry, Sango-san," the monk said, backing away from Sango. "I… I don't know what came over me…"

"Miroku-san," Kagome said bluntly, "I'm afraid I must ask you to stay away fro my cousin from this point on."

"I'll say," Inuyasha muttered, his face still in the dirt.


	6. Chapter 5

Kage Houseki no Himitsu  
-Chapter 5-

Kaede's Hut, Feudal Era

"I get the story of how you got here," Kagome said, frowning, "But how did you get through the well? Only Inuyasha and I can get through."

"I don't know," I admitted, sipping at the tea Kaede had passed me. "I just jumped in when I heard the wailing, then I was here in the Feudal Era."

"You're not a demon or something, are you?" Shippou said suspiciously.

"Don't be silly, Shippou-kun," Miroku scoffed, waving one hand dismissively. "Aoi-san is Kagome-sama's cousin; you don't think Kagome-sama is a demon, do you?"

"Maybe it's just because she _is_ Kagome's cousin," Sango pointed out. "It might be a family thing."

"But why can Inuyasha get through, then?"

"Why indeed," Miroku said thoughtfully.

"Maybe it's to do with that wailing sound Aoi heard," Kagome said. She glanced at me. "Do you know what started the wailing? Anything you might have done to trigger it?"

"N-no," I shook my head vigorously. "I just took a step toward the door, then it started."

"Well, this is all very mysterious and all," Inuyasha interrupted impatiently, "but have we really got the time to be lounging around drinking crappy tea? Just send her home and be done with it!"

"What's his problem?" I whispered to Kagome; I saw the boy's ear twitch in my direction, but thought nothing of it.

"He's been looking for something that's important to him; it's scattered all over this country, and we're all looking for it."

"Yeah, and whose fault was that, eh, Kagome?" Inuyasha snapped scathingly; how had he heard our whispering? Miroku rolled his eyes, and Shippou stroked his tail, looking bored.

"Hey, it was _not_ my fault," Kagome snapped back.

"What?" I asked, completely lost.

"The Sacred Jewel, the Shikon no Tama," Sango clarified for me. "It was broken into tiny pieces and scattered a few months ago."

"And who fired the shot that broke it?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"Not my fault," she muttered, and took another sip of tea.

An awkward silence permeated the hut; I took the opportunity to refill my empty teacup.

"Anyway, we may as well send Aoi-san back to her country and continue on with our quest," Miroku said, breaking the tense silence.

Kagome nodded. "Aunt Sakura and Uncle Roku must be worried about you by now, Aoi."

Abruptly, Inuyasha was on his feet, his ears pricked and nose twitching.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in surprise as Inuyasha's hand moved to the hilt of his sword.

"There's a demon coming," Inuyasha said shortly, his eyes seemingly focused on something very far away. "Strong one. Smells like…" A growl ripped from his throat. "_It's Naraku_!"


	7. Chapter 6

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 6-

Inuyasha's forest, Feudal Japan

"Who's Naraku?" I asked, holding tightly onto Sango as Kirara bounded through the foliage of the forest. Kirara was certainly an interesting creature; I'd fawned over her adorable two-tailed cat form, but had been petrified with fear when she'd transformed into her enormous, sabre-toothed form.

"He's a demon," Sango replied shortly. "He's messed around with all of us at least once."

"Messed around with?"

Sango didn't reply; maybe she hadn't heard me.

Now, why, I bet you're wondering, did they allow me to come with them on what was probably going to be a dangerous encounter? Simple. I'd badgered and whined and complained until even Inuyasha had been willing to let me go. Just as long as I stayed out of his way, he'd said. I planned to do just that.

"How far away is Naraku, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked; she was riding on the boy's back. I got the feeling that they were a lot closer than they first let on.

"Not far," Inuyasha replied. "He's hiding in that Onigumo guy's cave."

"I wonder why he'd go back there?" Miroku wondered. He was running on the other side of Kirara; I had no idea how the man was able to move his legs fast enough to keep up with us.

"Maybe he's just toying with us again," Shippou said angrily from behind me. "It'd sure be like him, dontcha think?"

Nobody replied; the rest of the ride was silent and uneventful. Soon we had run from under the cover of the forest onto a grassy, hilly plain. We soon came to a tiny crevice in a hill, a gap between two enormous, half-buried boulders.

"What's that?" I asked, shivering. I was referring to the strange chill I felt enveloping my body; it gave me the creeps. That and the feeling of being closely watched.

Miroku looked at me with surprise. "You can feel that?"

"It's a demonic aura," Sango told me. "It means a powerful demon is nearby. It's not a very pleasant feeling."

"Agreed," I said miserably.

"Everyone shut up," Inuyasha barked. We did so; he drew his sword. I gasped as the blade glowed brightly, and a sword much wider and thicker than its sheath had appeared to be was drawn out.

"That's Tetsusaiga," Kagome whispered to me. "Inuyasha's sword, I mean. It's made from the fang of a very powerful demon, and has great powers."

"Ah," I breathed back, awed by the display of magicalness.

"Stay back, blue girl," Inuyasha instructed. I assumed he was talking to me.

As he finished speaking, the strangest thing I'd ever seen in my entire life stepped out of the darkness of the cave.

It was a man wearing a monkey suit.

I burst out laughing.

"A-Aoi?" Kagome asked in surprise. I doubled over, my eyes watering.

"That… that…" I gasped, trying to suppress my laughter but failing. "That's… the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life!"

I could feel the stares of everyone, even the 'monkey man', as my laughter slowly fizzled out. I could tell that this was not the reaction expected for my first encounter with this Naraku, so I sheepishly shuffled my feet once my laughing fit was over. "Er… go on."

There was a silence for a prolonged moment, then Naraku chuckled. "An interesting girl you have travelling with you, eh, Inuyasha?"

"She just called you 'ridiculous,' idiot!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Well, she doesn't know who I am quite yet, does she." It was not a question, but a statement. "No matter; that girl is, indeed, very interesting. I'd like to get to know her better sometime. Sometime soon…"

Hokay. This guy gave me the creeps. I was starting to regret laughing at his outfit, stupid as it was.

"Like hell you will!" Inuyasha snarled; he braced Tetsusaiga. "You won't get the chance to catch up with her again! This ends here!"

"Ah… poor, naïve boy." Naraku chuckled again. "You can destroy my dancing doll, but the puppeteer lies elsewhere, above the centre stage…"

"You bastard!" Inuyasha roared; he ran at Naraku, and swung his sword with all his might at the man.

Suddenly, Naraku was gone.

"I think I'll take the liberty of speaking with this girl now," Naraku's cool voice came from right behind me. I shrieked, and spun around.

Naraku's body had changed shape; he was now sprouting tentacles, extra arms, legs, and other things in replacement of his lower body. His torso, arms and head remained unchanged.

"Stay away from her!" Kagome yelled; a flash of purple light shot at Naraku – an arrow? The projectile rebounded off some kind of invisible wall before it could hit the man, flying off into the sky and disappearing from view.

"He has a barrier!" Sango shouted, stepping protectively in front of me with her hand on the giant boomerang she always carried; I had no idea when she'd changed, but she now wore a full-length, black-and-pink body suit. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail.

"I'll take care of him," Miroku said, also stepping in front of me. His hand was on the string of beads that wound around his left wrist.

"Now, now, Monk-san; we'll have none of that," Naraku said icily. He grinned as a swarm of huge, wasp-like insects with yellow-and-purple bodies swarmed around him. Miroku made a sound of dissatisfaction – "Che!" – and re-wound the beads around his wrist.

"FOX-FIRE!"

Blue flames erupted from behind me, and enveloped Naraku's writhing body. The man grinned even wider, and dispelled the fire with a few flicks of his new limbs. An illusion?

"Outta the way!" Inuyasha shouted; the others dashed in opposite directions, clearing a wide path for him. Miroku grabbed my arm and dragged me along behind him.

"Eat this, disgusting bastard!" Inuyasha roared; he raised Tetsusaiga. "WINDSCAR!"

I shrieked as three extremely bright flashes of light erupted from the sword's length – they sliced through the land, moving incredibly fast, toward the form of Naraku, who now looked minuscule in comparison to the enormous attack. I squeezed my eyes shut as the lights connected with Naraku's body, but not fast enough to see it slice into his flesh, slashing and ripping him to pieces.

"Do you honestly think that old trick will work on the likes of me?"

My eyes popped open; he was still alive?!

From the looks of it, Naraku had barely sustained a scratch. Yet I knew I'd seen the lights make contact with him – what was going on here?

The others knew that they were going to lose; it seemed that Tetsusaiga had been their trump card. I could tell they thought this way because of the desperate faces, and the way they all started edging back slightly.

They were going to lose.

As if I'd let that happen.


	8. Chapter 7

I could tell the others were beginning think Naraku would win.

As if I'd let that happen.

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 7-

Onigumo's Cave, Kagome.

Why one of Naraku's dolls had to be here, out of the blue, escaped me. Why had he come back? What was his purpose? I had no answers.

I loaded another arrow into my bow, though I knew it was useless. Naraku's barrier had changed yet again; I had suspicions that even Inuyasha's Red Tetsusaiga wouldn't be able to break it now.

I knew the others felt the same way; Inuyasha was edging slightly back, as were Sango and Miroku, who I could see out of the corner of my eye.

Where was Aoi?

I gasped, and glanced around me. She was gone. Oh, god – had she cleared the way when Inuyasha had used Wind Scar?

"KURO-TSUME!"

The shout came from above us – Aoi?! My head jerked up. It was her. She had somehow leapt high into the air, and was flying with great speed toward Naraku, her right hand glowing dark purple. What was that?

Aoi slashed her arm down, leaving streaks of purplish-black light where her nails had dragged through the air; the lights streaked ahead of her with alarming speed, ripping into Naraku's torso and arms.

He didn't heal.

Aoi landed behind Naraku, and I lost sight of her. Naraku's body fell to the ground, the clay doll cracking and splintering as it broke.

"Kage Ryuu Saberu!"

Naraku let out a scream of agony as a blinding flash of ebony light shot straight through his forehead; the doll crumbled away completely, leaving only a pile of dust and the clay doll that gave the body life.

"Interesting. Very interesting indeed…" Naraku's whisper faded into the wind.

Aoi stood where she had landed, her hands gripping an enormous sword, bigger even than Tetsusaiga. As I watched, Aoi waved the sword once, then shoved the tip of the blade into the palm of her left hand; the same purplish-black light that had shot destroyed Naraku's doll enveloped the sword, and it disappeared slowly into Aoi's hand.

There was dead silence outside of Onigumo's cave. Aoi reached up with her now-clear right hand and readjusted her cap so that it hid her strangely glowing eyes from view.

"Aoi," I croaked, unable to speak properly from shock. "What did you just-?"

"Kagome," Aoi interrupted softly, still holding the visor of her cap. "You knew already. I showed you ages ago, when we were kids. That I could do this stuff. Don't you remember?"

I could see the others glancing from Aoi to me and back again; they seemed to be as confused as I was.

"I thought you smelled weird," Inuyasha said bluntly. "You're a half-demon."

"Sh-she can't be," I heard myself gasp. "Aunt Sakura and Uncle Roku are human. There's no way-"

"He's right," Aoi interrupted again quietly. My jaw dropped. "Well, I don't know about being a demon or whatever… but I've known for a long time that I'm definitely not human."

I remembered.

Aoi and I were very young, probably three or four years old. Aoi had worn her hair long then; I'd worn it short. Aoi and I had been playing outside the house, in a tiny courtyard in the main Shrine.

"Kagome-chan, Kagome-chan! Look what I can do!"

A flash of purplish-black light, an intense pain. Suddenly I was on the ground with Aoi leaning over me, screaming my name with tears in her eyes.

"Kagome-chan! Kagome-chan! I'm so sorry, Kagome! I'm so sorry!"

Aoi really wasn't human.

But then, what exactly _was_ she?


	9. Chapter 8

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 8-

Kaede's Village, Aoi

I could feel Kagome's eyes on me more strongly than anyone else's on the ride back. I couldn't tell if she feared me, mistrusted me, or just hated me.

Inuyasha was still staring at me in Kaede's hut, where he was sitting like an angry dog in front of the door. I could tell he thought I was dangerous.

"Inuyasha is a half-demon," Miroku was saying now, sitting cross-legged on a mat in front of the fire. "Maybe if your characteristics match any of his, we'll be bale to tell if you're a half-demon too."

"Well, you have strange eye and hair colours," Sango said. "That much is clear."

"Plus she's got demonic attacks that look like Inuyasha's," Shippou chipped in. "And really strong ones, at that."

Kirara, who was now sitting in my lap being petted, mewed.

"And she had a large sword," Miroku said. He glanced at me. "Do you know what it's made of, or who forged it?"

Hesitantly, I shook my head. "I only found it in my hand a few years ago. I have no idea how it got in there, let alone what it's made of."

"How did you find it?" Sango asked in surprise. "It must not have been easy."

"Um... long story," I hedged. I didn't really want to tell them how I'd found it.

"It's okay; we don't need to know how the sword came to be," Miroku said gently.

"Inuyasha has nights when he loses his demonic powers and becomes a human," Shippou said. "Do you have anything like that?"

I blinked. "N-not that I know of…" I wondered what Inuyasha would look like as a human.

"She might be a full demon," Sango pointed out. "She has more characteristics similar to that Sesshomaru than to Inuyasha."

"No," Inuyasha muttered from the doorway. "She smells like a half-demon. Humans and demons have completely different scents."

"Plus she doesn't have any animalistic behaviours or features about her," Miroku said.

I raised my head. "Yes, I do."

Shippou blinked. "You do?"

"Yes, but I keep them hidden. They're kind of… conspicuous."

"What are they?" Sango asked curiously.

I hesitated once more, then released my restraints.

I heard a gasp from Kagome as my nails grew and sharpened into claws, my teeth grew longer and sharper into fangs, and long, pointed, scaly ears pushed my cap off my head. Large, scaled wings burst from my shirt – damn, it had probably ripped – and I tried to make them appear as small as possible by folding them.

"A bat demon?" Sango gasped, staring at my wings.

"No, look at her ears," Miroku pointed. "Bat's ears have fur."

"Is she a dragon?" Shippou asked curiously.

"Dragons have wings?" Sango said sceptically.

"Western dragons have wings; I've heard stories about them," Miroku said.

"Why would she be a Western dragon?" Shippou said in surprise.

I was starting to feel self-conscious. Blushing, I retracted my claws, fangs, wings and ears, sealing them within my body once more. I could feel that my shirt was, indeed torn. I wished I had longer hair so I could hide it.

"Aoi."

I glanced at Kagome, who hadn't spoken since we'd left Onigumo's cave. She was staring at me, though not with dislike or hate. "Do you have any idea what you might be?"

I hesitated, then slowly shook my head. "Not a clue."

"I've had enough of all this," Inuyasha snapped angrily. He got to his feet, and marched over to me. I stared up at him with confusion. "You. Come with me. Now."

"Eh?"

"Where are you taking her?" Kagome asked with surprise.

"There's only one sure way to tell if she's a half-demon if she isn't gonna fess up. C'mon!" He grabbed my arm and tugged me roughly to my feet. I squeaked.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.

"It'll only take a second!" Inuyasha yelled back. He dragged me out of the hut into the street beyond. He released me, and I staggered to regain my balance.

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome shrieked from the doorway; she didn't have time to recite the binding spell before Inuyasha slashed the sword across my abdomen.


	10. Chapter 9

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 9-

Kaede's Village, Inuyasha

The girl hardly made a sound as Tetsusaiga slashed through her. I made the wound shallow on purpose, mainly so she wouldn't bleed to death, but it looked like she'd never gained a wound this bad before. She fell to her knees, her eyes wide with shock.

"_Sit, boy_!"

I'd been expecting it, but the binding spell still caught me by surprise; I yelped loudly as I was slammed into the ground.

"Inuyasha! What did ye do?!" I heard Kaede shout in alarm. The hag had been gardening while everyone had been debating over the blue girl's race. There was a simple test to see if she was really a half-demon.

"You still alive, blue girl?" I called to her, my body stuck to the ground in an uncomfortable position.

She couldn't reply; she was too busy throwing up blood.

"All I want you to do is make Blades of Blood."

"Inuyasha! That's something only you can do!" Kagome cried. She sounded on the verge of tears; woops.

"It's not!" I snapped at her. "I've met some others who can do it, and they're all half-demons! Blades of Blood is a defence mechanism we have that full demons don't. If she's half-demon, she'll be able to do it!"

"B-but… I don't know how," blue girl gasped, wiping blood from her mouth.

"Just get some of your blood on your hands, then do the same thing you do for your Kuro-Tsume thing. It'll convert your blood into a weapon."

Her hands shaking, she touched her fingers to the wound on her belly. I slowly sat up, the binding spell starting to wear off.

"B-blades of blood," she squeaked; she slashed her hand through the air. As I'd expected, the dripping liquid left bright crimson trails through the air where the blood had swept through it, and the five projectiles flew into the distance until they faded away, having missed any potential targets.

"Y'see," I said defiantly, looking angrily at Kagome. "She's definitely a half-demon."

Kaede's Village, Aoi

"Did you have to cut her stomach?" Kagome complained as she fluffed my pillow. "That must have hurt Aoi a lot."

"There's more blood around the stomach than most other places in the body," Inuyasha said absently. "If I'd cut anywhere else that had enough blood, like her heart, she porbably would've died. So I thought the stomach was the least hazardous."

Kagome glared at him, but didn't reply.

"It didn't hurt as much as I'd thought it would," I reassured Kagome truthfully; maybe it was something about demons, but sustaining wounds didn't hurt as much as they seemed to hurt humans. "Besides, I heal fast. I'll be better in no time!"

"That's because you're half-demon," Inuyasha told me. "Even something as small as that would probably kill a human."

"Oh."

"Anyway, where are Sango and Miroku?" Kagome asked nobody in particular.

"Dunno," Inuyasha yawned. "They said they were taking Kirara and scouting for signs of Naraku, but…"

All three of us glanced at the two-tailed cat that was sleeping in the corner with Shippou. Kirara obviously hadn't gone anywhere.

"I've been wondering for a while, blue girl," Inuyasha continued, apparently changing the subject. "How're you able to hide your animal traits? I've never been able to do that."

"I'm not sure," I replied. "I never used to have them, then one day they just sort of… popped out. It freaked out my sister, I can tell you. So I just told them to go away, and they did."

I shrugged. "I can let them out whenever I want, but I need to keep a conscious hold on them. If I lose concentration or forget I have them, they'll pop out."

"You can keep concentration for that long?" Kagome asked with surprise.

"Not really – but I can feel when they're coming out, so I dash for somewhere deserted and force them to go back in."

"I see," Kagome nodded, looking impressed.

"But what about your hair and eyes?" Inuyasha pressed. "Can't you change those, too?"

"I've tried," I confessed, "quite a few times. But they never seem to stay away, even if I'm concentrating really hard. The longest I've ever had black hair was about two minutes."

I thought for a moment. "It's like holding your breath – I have a limit."

"Bah," Inuyasha huffed. "I can hold my breath longer than two minutes."

"She's just trying to say that she can't keep it up for very long," Kagome said impatiently.

I nodded. "Exactly."


	11. Chapter 10

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 10-

Kaede's Village, Aoi

"Can't I go home now?" I whined to Kagome as I shoved my feet into my sandals. "It's been four days since I fell in the well; won't my parents be worried?"

"I'm sure Mom or Jii-chan would have told them about this place by now," Kagome told me reassuringly, stringing her bow. "Besides, if Naraku's after you, you might not be safe in our world anymore."

I pouted.

It had been three days since Inuyasha had cut me; I was completely healed. I'd been expecting to go home once I was better, but as Kagome said, apparently I wasn't safe anymore. None of the others seemed to have a problem with me coming with them on their quest for finding the Sacred Jewel shards – except, of course, Inuyasha, who always seemed to have a problem with every_thing_ and every_one_ – so I hesitantly accepted their offer of both protection and friendship.

"By the way, Kagome," I said as we walked out of Kaede's hut towards where the group was waiting.

"Yeah?"

"I think there's something else I should tell you…"

"Is it important?" Kagome asked, glancing down at me.

"Er… I'm not sure… I just thought you might like to know," I shrugged absently.

"What's up?" She asked as we reached the group.

"C'mon, c'mon," Inuyasha snapped impatiently. "Could we get going now?"

Kagome glared at Inuyasha, then turned back to me. "What is it, Aoi?"

I dug in the pocket of my shorts, and pulled out the item that – thankfully – had remained there throughout my ordeal.

It was a small-ish, perfectly round, purplish-black gem. It sparkled in the dim light of the pre-dawn we stood in, deep purple highlights piercing the black depths of it.

Kagome's jaw dropped. "Wh-what is that?"

Sango leaned in closer, her eyes wide. "That… it looks like the Sacred Jewel. Once it's been corrupted."

I held it up for everyone to see. "I found this, Kokuei, at the same time I found Ryuutsurugi – my sword. I always kept it on me, in case it had some cool power or something."

"What does it do?" Shippou asked excitedly.

"Nothing," I admitted. "As far as I can tell, anyway."

Kagome stared at it for a moment in silence, then fished a small, brown draw-string pouch from under her shirt. She pulled it open, and turned a tiny, pink fragment of what looked like some kind of stone into her palm.

"What's that?" I asked, staring at the fragment with awe.

"This is a shard of the Sacred Jewel," Kagome explained. "One of the many pieces we're looking for."

"Why'd you take it out?" Inuyasha asked angrily, glancing around. "Something might see it!"

"There're no demons around here," Kagome snapped. "Maybe if the Sacred Jewel and this Kokuei are related, the Sacred Jewel will react to it."

"Good thinking, Kagome-sama," Miroku smiled.

I held my gem aloft, and Kagome lifted the shard with her forefinger and thumb. She edged the shard closer to Kokuei.

Abruptly, Kokuei flashed white hot, and I dropped it with a squeak; Kagome did the same with her shard.

"What happened?" Sango cried in alarm.

"You okay, Kagome?" Inuyasha barked.

"I-I don't know what happened," I asked, nursing my burned palm. "It suddenly got really hot-"

"Look at the Jewels!" Shippou suddenly cried.

We looked at them. I gasped.

Kokuei was rolling slowly in the opposite direction of the Jewel shard, which was shaking desperately, as if it wanted to get away from my gem as much as the latter did.

"What's happening?" Kagome gasped.

I quickly scooped up Kokuei – thankfully, it wasn't so hot anymore – and shoved it back into my pocket. "I don't know."

Kagome picked up the Jewel shard also, and carefully replaced it in the drawstring pouch.

"I get the feeling," Miroku said, his brow furrowed, "That those Jewels are definitely related in some way."

"That's right!" Sango gasped. She turned to Kagome. "Didn't you say that the complete Sacred Jewel came from inside your body, too?"

"Y-yes," Kagome said.

"And Aoi-san said that she found her jewel at the same time as she found her sword," Sango continued excitedly, "Which would mean that the jewel came from inside her body as well."

I perked up. "That's right! It was wedged into the handle of Ryuutsurugi, but fell out when I touched it."

"This is all very exciting," Inuyasha huffed, "But we kind of need to find the shards of the pink Jewel, not discuss the origins of the black one. Can't we get going?"

"I suppose Inuyasha's right," Kagome sighed; she hung the bag back around her neck and hid it under her shirt. "Are we ready to leave?"

"Let's go, Kirara," Sango instructed the two-tailed cat. Kirara mewed, and was enveloped with a flash of hot fire.

I squeaked and jumped away from Kirara as her huge, sabre-toothed form erupted from the flames.

"There's no need to be scared of her when she's like this," Sango laughed. She leapt easily onto Kirara's wide back, and extended a hand to help me up. "She's the same as she always is, just a bit bigger."

I shakily nodded, and grabbed Sango's hand.

"Well, where to first?" Kagome asked no one in particular from where she sat on Inuyasha's back.

"I guess we'll just go wherever we haven't checked before," Inuyasha replied.

"Well, let's go, then!" Shippou said impatiently. With a snarling roar, Kirara leapt into the air. I gasped, and clung to Sango as Kirara gathered height, until she was skimming the tops of the trees over Inuyasha's Forest. Inuyasha leapt along beside us, hopping from branch to branch.

Was I really going on some grand adventure in the Feudal Era? Or was this some great, strange dream? I guessed I'd find out if I ever woke up.


	12. Chapter 11

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 11-

Deserted Mountain Pass, Aoi

"Aw, mah gawd," I drawled, slouching as I trudged slowly behind the others. "I'm _so_ tired. Can't we take a break?"

Kagome glanced back at me as Inuyasha huffed impatiently. "We only stopped a few hours ago, Aoi."

"Exactly!" I burst out, waving my arms about like an idiot. "Doesn't anyone else have a problem with walking for a _few hours_ in this heat?!"

"I don't think so," Shippou replied, riding on Kagome's shoulder.

I muttered darkly.

"We'll need to keep this pace if we want to make it to the next town before nightfall," Miroku called back to me from the front of the group. I didn't get it – Miroku was a human, yet he walked and ran absolutely everywhere without complaint. It was really annoying.

"Think of it this way," Sango said to me, holding Kirara's cat-like form – the poor thing had been too tired to fly with four people on its back anymore – "The faster we get to that town, the longer we'll be able to rest."

"I suppose," I sighed, stopping momentarily to stretch my arms above my head. "How far is the next town, anyway?"

"We've been this way once before," Miroku said, "And from memory, it should be about two more hours."

"Guh!" I hung my head, slouching even lower than I already was.

"Sango-san," I called wearily, "Can't I ride Kirara for a while?"

Sango shook her head. "If you're going to be travelling with us, you're going to need to build up your stamina. Besides, she's very tired; she needs a break."

It had been four days since we'd began our journey from Kaede's village. I'd been pretty excited then, looking forward to adventures and more battles. But so far, it had been really quite boring.

I sighed, somehow managing to slouch even lower. _So boring_...

Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped; I'd been walking about a step behind him, so I accidently bumped into him.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, stopping as well.

Inuyasha was focusing on the bend in the path; we were quite high up the mountain now. I honestly didn't know why there would be a town anywhere near here. The bend in the path that Inuyasha was concentrating on was quite narrow, one side hemmed in by a high cliff, the other side dropping away as another. The drop went for at least half a mile.

"There's someone ahead," Inuyasha said. "The wind's blowing the wrong way; I can't –"

The wind changed direction. That was convenient.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha growled; he cracked his knuckles with only one hand. That was creepy.

"Who's Sesshomaru?" I asked, feeling as lost as I had before my encounter with Naraku.

As soon as the final syllable left my mouth, someone strolled from around the corner.

The first thing I felt when I saw him was awe.

He was very tall and thin, with white hair even longer and straighter than Inuyasha's. I could tell even from this distance that he was a demon; he had strange markings on his forehead and cheekbones, and he had claws instead of nails.

As I watched, a tiny, green creature scuttled after him, holding a ridiculously long staff; a strange, two-headed, reptilian demon followed. Riding upon this monstrosity was a young, apparently human girl wearing an orange-and-yellow checked kimono.

The demon caught sight of us at the same time as we caught sight of him; he came to a halt.

The green creature squeaked, and looked guiltily up at the tall demon. "Milord, it's Inuyasha!"

"So I see," the demon replied coolly. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ooooh!" The human girl said. She waved at the group; I saw Kagome wave swiftly back.

"We have no business with you," the demon said curtly to Inuyasha. "Let us pass."

"Where ya headin'?" Inuyasha snarled back.

"How dare you speak so rudely to Sesshomaru-sama, you impudent little-" the green creature squeaked angrily.

"Enough, Jaken," Sesshomaru interrupted quietly. He had the coldest personality I'd ever seen – the way he spoke almost made me shiver. There was no emotion in it at all. The green creature, Jaken, bowed and fell silent.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama!" The human girl said excitedly; Sesshomaru glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "That girl there has blue hair! Isn't that _weird_, Sesshomaru-sama?"

I realised with a start that she was pointing at me. I pulled my cap lower, blushing.

Sesshomaru's eyes settled on me. They narrowed even further.

"It seems you have yet another useless addition to your little gang of humans," he noted coldly. My blush deepened. "Ah, my mistake – a worthless half-demon, like yourself."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha snarled; he cracked his knuckles again. "You wanted to leave, didn't ya? Get going, then!"

Sesshomaru was still staring at me. I glanced at him, then looked away hastily.

I heard footsteps; they weren't walking past the group. They were walking through them, toward me. I looked up again with a tiny gasp of fear.

"What're you doing?" Inuyasha snarled as Sesshomaru brushed past him. Miroku stepped forward, apparently about to force Sesshomaru away from me.

"What is your name, girl?"

I glanced up at him again, confused. I took half a step back – he was too close for comfort now. "Hi-Higurashi Aoi."

"You don't have to say anything to that guy, blue girl," Inuyasha snapped. I winced.

Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder back at Inuyasha. "Can't you tell who this girl is just by smelling her?"

Inuyasha blinked. "What kind of crap are you talking?"

Sesshomaru ignored him, and stepped around me. I half-turned, staring at his back as he continued down the mountain path. Jaken scurried after him, shooting glares over his shoulder as he went; the two-headed creature ambled slowly around the group; the girl smiled and bowed to each person as she passed.

"Er… who was that?" I asked shakily as soon as they'd turned another bend in the path and disappeared from sight.

"That was Sesshomaru," Kagome told me, "Inuyasha's brother."

I whipped my head around. "Inuyasha-san's brother?!" They'd seemed to hate each other. But now that I looked, I could see many similarities between them – the long, white hair, the yellow eyes… they probably had similar demonic attacks, too.

"Creepy bastard," Inuyasha growled. I had to agree with that.

"What did he mean when he was talking about Aoi-san?" Miroku wondered. He glanced at Inuyasha. "Is her scent familiar to you?"

Inuyasha paused for a moment, then stepped closer to me, sniffing. I blushed again.

"Nope," Inuyasha said, looking past me down the path where Sesshomaru had gone. "I dunno what he was going on about."

"Have you ever met anyone like him before, Aoi?" Kagome asked in surprise.

I shook my head, my brow furrowed with confusion. "No, never."

"Weird," Shippou commented.

"Anyway, let's get out of these mountains before nightfall," Miroku said, starting to walk again. I groaned as the others followed suit, and trudged after them.


	13. Chapter 12

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 12-

Shipon Manor, Aoi

I glanced about nervously. Nobody else seemed to notice my agitation; they continued to eat without paying me any attention. My own plate was untouched.

"Er… Miroku-san?" I said hesitantly.

"Hmm?" Miroku reached to one of the plates and picked up a smoked fish.

"Is this really okay?"

"Of course," Miroku replied. "The kind people of this town are now safe from the ominous cloud that had been plaguing them."

"What ominous cloud?"

"Besides," Miroku continued as if he hadn't heard me, "The daughter of the Lord in this manor still needs protecting, according to the Lord."

"Does she happen to be attractive, Monk?" Sango asked coolly. Miroku smiled nervously, but didn't reply.

"It's okay, Aoi," Kagome said, picking up a cup of tea. "At least this way, we'll have hot food and soft beds tonight."

"I… guess so…" I agreed hesitantly, still unsure as to whether this was completely honest. I carefully picked up my bowl of rice, still glancing around guiltily as if I were committing a crime.

Our encounter with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's brother, earlier that day was still fresh in my mind. Creepy and cold as he'd been, he'd still given me plenty to think about.

"Can't you tell who this girl is just by smelling her?" He'd asked. That implied that he knew me from somewhere, but as far as _I_ knew, I'd never met him before today. That would either mean Sesshomaru had mistaken me for someone else… or something weird was going on.

The door to the room where we sat eating slid open; I had my back to it, so I half-turned to see who it was.

It was one of the Lord's vassals. He was kneeling on the floor, bowed low.

"What is it?" Miroku asked him, placing his bowl and chopsticks on his placemat.

"Excuse me for interrupting your meal," the vassal apologised. "Lord Hogohushi wishes to have an audience with the blue-haired maiden, if it is not too much trouble for her."

I blinked, and turned around to face him fully. "You mean me?"

The vassal glanced up at me, and nodded. "That is correct, Milady."

"Why does he want Aoi?" Kagome asked in surprise.

The vassal looked back at the ground. "I apologise; I know not."

I looked back at the others. "It wouldn't hurt, would it?"

Sango frowned. "Do you want one of us to go with you?"

"Excuse me," the vassal interrupted before I could reply; he bowed low again. "Lord Hogohushi wishes to have an audience only with the blue-haired maiden."

Inuyasha frowned, but said nothing.

After hesitating for only a moment, I got to my feet. "Excuse me, then," I said, and followed the vassal onto the deck outside the room. The vassal slid the door closed behind me.

"This way, please," the vassal instructed me as he got to his feet. I paused, then followed him. He led me to a room that lay in the back of the estate the Lord owned; he kneeled in front of another identical sliding door, and indicated that I do the same. As I knelt, he knocked lightly on the wood on the bottom of the door.

"Yes?"

"The blue-haired maiden has come, Lord Hogohushi," the vassal announced clearly but quietly.

"Please, come in."

The vassal slid the door open, and bowed; I followed suit after a second's delay. The man who I presumed was Lord Hogohushi asked me again to enter. I stood, and walked inside. The vassal slid the door closed behind me.

"Please, join me," Hogohushi offered, gesturing to a cushion on the opposite side of a low table at which he sat. I kneeled on the cushion, and folded my hands in my lap.

"I'm terribly sorry for summoning you so suddenly," Hogohushi said, inclining his head.

"Oh, it was no problem, Lord," I said hastily, bowing low in return.

"Tea?" He asked, smiling as he poured a cup of the steaming brew for himself.

"Oh, I couldn't," I shook my head. "I've already eaten too much of your food to ask for anything more."

Hogohushi smiled wider. He set the kettle down in the middle of the table, and took a sip of his own tea before speaking. "I see you're very polite, miss… er…"

"Higurashi Aoi," I filled in for him.

"Higurashi-san, then," Hogohushi said happily. He set his cup down with a gentle clack.

"Higurashi-san, I'm afraid I have something to ask of you."

I straightened. "What is it?"

"I sense a great power about you, Higurashi-san; greater than any one person I have encountered before." He tilted his head slightly, examining me. "But I also sense the much more powerful presence of… something else."

I blinked, confused. "Eh? Er, I mean… excuse me?"

"I believe," Hogohushi continued, closing his eyes, "That this presence is that of an item I encountered many, many years ago; I'm not sorry to say that I'd developed quite an… attachment to this item."

"I have something of yours?" I repeated, wide-eyed. "But.. I've never met you before, Lord."

"No," He agreed. "This item was taken from me before I could take it for myself. I feared I would never see it in this land again."

"O-oh," I said, somewhat doubtfully. "I'm sorry, Lord, but I don't think it's possible that I could have something of yours, even if I... bought it from the person who took it from you, or something. I'm not from _around_ here, you see."

"Ah, I can see that from the clothes you wear," he nodded. His eyes were still closed. "You are from the far West, the great mainland, correct?"

"Er… not exactly…"

"This item…" Hogohushi slowly opened his eyes; I reeled back with a gasp – once brown, his eyes were now a bright, blood red. "It is very important to me. I must have it back."

"Wh-what is this item?" I asked quietly, though I already knew the answer.

"The Kokuei no Tama," Hogohushi breathed. He leaned across the table toward me. "The Deep Shadow Jewel; the cursed stone of darkness. _Give it to me_!"

He leapt over the table; I only had time to shriek once before he knocked me to the ground.

"Give it to me!" He yelled, his face growing hairy and his teeth growing into fangs. "_Give me the Kokuei no Tama_!"

"N-no," I croaked, his hands wrapped tightly around my neck. I lifted my shaking right arm above Hogohushi's back, and whispered, "Kuro-Tsume…!"


	14. Chapter 13

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 13-

Shipon Manor, Inuyasha

I bolted to my foot as soon as I blue girl's scream pierced the quiet outside. Damn it! I _knew_ something was going to happen!

"That blue girl's in danger! Miroku!" I shouted over my shoulder as I ripped open the sliding door. I heard Miroku's shout as he also leapt to his feet. I skidded to a halt as soon as I'd left the room; that human vassal who'd taken the blue girl was standing in the middle of the deck, smiling.

"Outta the way!" I snarled as I drew Tetsusaiga. The man's expression didn't change in the slightest as the sword changed shape.

"I'm sorry," the vassal called to Miroku and I; he bowed low. "Lord Hogohushi seeks an audience only with the blue-haired maiden."

"I'm warning you," I snarled, bracing Tetsusaiga. "Get out of the-"

"I'm sorry," the man repeated, bowing again in exactly the same manner. "Lord Hogohushi seeks an audience only with the blue-haired maiden."

"He's possessed," Miroku growled. He stepped forward slightly. "This Lord Hogohushi, or whoever is behind this, must be controlling him."

"Che!" I huffed. "I guess that means I can't kill him, huh?"

"That would be correct."

"Bah!" I sheathed Tetsusaiga, and cracked my knuckles.

"Outta my way, chump!" I ran at him, ignoring Miroku's shout, and shoved the man hard in the shoulder; without the slightest change of expression, the man fell sideways off the deck into the garden below.

"Inuyasha! We must find Aoi-san quickly!" Miroku shouted as he ran past me. "Let's split up!"

"Sure," I replied sarcastically. "Then you'll be hoping she'll give you a big ol' kiss for saving her, right?"

Miroku coughed, and didn't reply.

I huffed again, and leapt toward one of the only buildings that still had lights on; that might be it.

Abruptly, a burst of light I recognised to be the blue-girl's Kuro-Tsume attack burst from a building near the back of the estate, completely obliterating one wall. I landed on the roof of the building I'd been aiming for, but immediately jumped again toward the half-destroyed building that blue girl must have been in. I drew Tetsusaiga again as I went.

"Give me the Kokuei no Tama, girl!"

The hoarse scream was followed by a cry of pain; Blue-girl?! I landed the still-standing section of roof, and quickly surveyed the scene below.

Blue girl was standing in a corner of the room, her right arm hanging limp and useless, dripping with blood. She clutched something in her left hand close to her chest. She was cowering before an enormous spider demon.

"Give it to me! _Give it to me_!" The demon shrieked; one of its sharp, hairy legs slashed Blue Girl's face; she shrieked as she was thrown to the opposite side of the room, crashing through the thin paper wall. Blood splattered the floor as she landed heavily in the next room. A young woman I recognised to be the Lord's daughter ran, shrieking, away from her; at least the daughter was still human, I thought.

I readied Tetsusaiga, then leapt at the spider, yelling as I fell.

Shipon Manor, Aoi

I rolled onto my back, groaning. Trembling, I forced my injured right arm to move, and touched my hand to my face where Hogohushi has slashed at it; it came away wet with blood. I slowly sat up, looking around warily for Hogohushi; I could still hear crashes and a kind of metallic clinking, but from what I could tell, he hadn't found me yet.

Why was he after Kokuei? And what was this… Kokuei _no Tama_?

I opened my left fist; the dark jewel sat inside, still and silent. Why would a demon want _my_ jewel?

It was then that it finally occurred to me that the fight wasn't over yet.

Gasping, I looked up; Hogohushi was still there, warding off fierce blows from Inuyasha._ Inuyasha_?! When had he gotten here?

"Aoi-san!"

I jumped, and looked behind me. Miroku ran from the sliding door he'd opened, looking intensely worried. "What happened?!"

"Hogohushi was a demon," I explained, slowly getting to my feet; Miroku helped me up. "Inuyasha-san's dealing with him."

"Aoi-san," Miroku said again. I looked up at him.

He suddenly had my hands in both of his again.

"You needn't fear any longer," he said sincerely, looking me straight in the eye. I couldn't help but blush. "You're safe here with me."

The edge of Sango's boomerang connected, hard, with the back of Miroku's head.

"Do you never stop?" Sango asked coldly; she was almost giving off an evil aura.

"Ah! Sango-chan!" Miroku turned, smiling nervously as he massaged the back of his head. "I was just making sure Aoi-san was alright!"

"Of course you were," Shippou muttered to Kirara, who mewed.

"Aoi!" Kagome gasped; she ran from behind Sango. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm okay," I reassured her. I tightened my grip on Kokuei.

"HEY!" Inuyasha roared; he landed heavily in front of me, his eyes still fixed on Hogohushi, who was screeching in agony with three of his legs lopped off. "Would you guys mind quitting ya prattling and giving me a hand here?!"

"Ah, sorry Inuyasha!" Kagome said insincerely, waving a hand dismissively.

"I'll help," I said; now that I had the chance… "Give me a second."

"Aoi-san, you're in no condition to-" Sango cut off with a gasp as I plunged my left hand into my right palm. I slowly drew out Ryuutsurugi, my enormous sword. It was enveloped in the blackish-purple light that formed my Kuro-Tsume; I'd never really known why it did that.

I shoved Kokuei back into the pocket of my shorts once Ryuutsurugi was completely out of my hand.

"You sure you're not gonna die, Blue-girl?" Inuyasha asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I nodded.

"I'll be fine," I replied curtly. I stepped beside Inuyasha, bracing Ryuutsurugi. My fringe ruffled across my forehead as black-purple, flame-like lights erupted from Ryuutsurugi. I heard Inuyasha chuckle shortly – "Heh!" – before we faced Hogohushi, ready for the assault.


	15. Chapter 14

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 14-

Shipon Manor, Aoi

Hogohushi struck quickly.

Shrieking like a banshee, he swung one of his remaining legs at me; I deflected it with a grunt, using Ryuutsurugi. Inuyasha leapt into the air, and brought Tetsusaiga down on the leg with a loud yell, before hogohushi could move it. The severed limb dropped to the bloody floor as its owner screamed in agony.

Bracing Ryuutsurugi, I leapt into the air, higher than Inuyasha, and lifted the enormous sword above my head. As gravity started to bring me back down, I summoned the black-purple flames from the core of Ryuutsurugi, the magic that possessed the sword, and shouted, "Kage Ryuu Piasu!"

I swung the sword down in a slashing motion; a trail of the black-purple flames remained behind where the blade had swung, then solidified into one huge, glowing projectile; it flew at Hogohushi's swollen, spiderish body. The demon sensed my attack; he leapt to the side just in time. He wasn't seriously injured. My attack left a small nick in his side, but shot straight through the floorboards where he had been a few moments before - it looked as if a small bomb had exploded there.

With a great roar, Hogohushi leapt toward me, higher than I'd expected him to be able to with such a huge body, and grabbed me around the waist with his venom-dripping fangs. I cried out with pain as I felt his many, needle-sharp teeth pierce my abdomen.

"_Aoi_!" I heard Kagome shriek; a flash of bright purple whizzed over my head, piercing Hogohushi right in the centre of his forehead. An arrow? Where had that come from? He shrieked with agony, releasing me as he did so.

As I fell, I felt an intense burning sensation spreading from the points where his fangs had pierced me. Despite the poison, I was able to flip once in the air and land on my feet, though I fell onto my rump as my knees buckled.

"Aoi-san!" Sango cried; I heard a strange, beating whoosh not unlike that of a helicopter's blades while in flight, as Sango threw her boomerang at Hogohushi. The attack lopped off two more of his legs, leaving him teetering on two, one on either side of his body.

I tried to stand up, but winced as the burning of the venom grew significantly. Fighting tears, I reached over to Ryuutsurugi, which I had dropped when Hogohushi had bitten me, and readied myself for anything Hogohushi might try, bracing the sword directly in front of me as a shield.

"Ko… Kokuei no Tama…!" Hogohushi wheezed. He leaned over me, seemingly unaware that Inuyasha was still hacking away at him. "Give… me…"

"Sango! Get Blue-girl outta the way!" Inuyasha roared. He was holding Tetsusaiga aloft, ready to strike with all his might.

"Aoi-san, hurry!" Sango cried; she grabbed me under my arms and forced me to stand. I tried to help her, but the venom was messing with my muscles; I could barely move anymore. Sango half-carried, half-dragged me back to where the others were waiting, while Inuyasha shouted, "_Wind Scar_!"

Hogohushi shrieked in agony as the yellow streaks of light slashed and tore at him. I didn't see anything else; I'm pretty sure I passed out once Inuyasha's attack hit the spider demon. Woops.

Shipon Manor, Kagome

"_Aoi_! Aoi, wake up!" I shook Aoi's shoulders, hard; her head lolled sadly, her eyes closed. She was deathly pale, and she was sweating profusely. Her breaths came in short, painful-sounding gasps. "Sango, what happened?!"

"I'm pretty sure that spider was venomous," Sango said, confirming my fears. "And as you saw, she got bitten…"

"If we don't get the poison out quickly-" Miroku began.

"Well! What happened here?"

I felt a prick on the side of my face and instinctively slapped it. As I pulled my hand away, the tiny, flat form of Myoga the flea lay there, squashed to my hand like a tiny pancake.

"Myoga-jii-san?" I said in surprise as the old flea struggled inflate himself. "What are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you around in a while," Shippou commented.

"Myoga-ojii-sama," Miroku said, "Can you help Aoi-san?"

"Ah! Good thinking, Miroku-san!" I said happily, beaming.

"Not a problem, Kagome-sama!" Miroku beamed back. Sango shot him an icy glare.

Myoga popped back into his usual three-dimensional shape, and glanced between me and Miroku. "Eh? What's this, now?"

"Myoga-jii-chan," I said; he turned to look up at me. "Please, can you suck the poisoned blood out of my cousin?"

"Cousin?" Myoga repeated in surprise. He glanced down at Aoi, whose breathing now sounded even worse. "Isn't this girl a half-demon?"

"Please, Myoga," Sango insisted, "If we don't hurry…"

"Leave it to me," Myoga said. He leapt from my hand onto Aoi's neck, and started sucking.

Inuyasha arrived; the remains of the spider demon lay behind him. "What's up with her?" He asked as his greeting.

"She got bitten," Shippou said; his eyes narrowed. "So much for you protecting her, Inuyasha."

"Hah?" Inuyasha yawned. "When did I say I was gonna protect her? She was on her own."

"Inuyasha!" I snapped. He flinched away from me.

"A-anyway," he growled, closing his eyes. "You might want this…" He held out his fist. I reached up curiously; he dropped a shard of the Sacred Jewel into my palm.

"Wha- when did you-?"

"It was in the belly of that demon," Inuyasha said, shoving a thumb over his shoulder toward the carcass. "You could've made it easier for me to find by pointing it out…"

"I didn't sense it," I said, shocked. "I didn't know it was there."

I looked down at Aoi, thinking about this strange occurrence. Myoga had grown to be almost as big as Shippou, being filled with blood. He released his mouth from Aoi's neck with a loud 'pop!' and sighed contentedly.

"Ahhhhhh~! Such tasty blood!"

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked Myoga. The old flea nodded.

"She should be fine now; I sucked out most of the poison. She's half-demon, so she'll be able to heal herself from this point."

"We should leave this place as soon as possible," Miroku said, glancing around suspiciously. "People will start coming, and they'll find their Lord like this… I'd rather not be there when they come."

"Agreed," I said nervously. Shoving the shard of the jewel into my drawstring pouch around my neck, I glanced at Inuyasha. "Could you-?"

"Yeah, yeah; I've got her," Inuyasha snapped. He sheathed Tetsusaiga, and picked up Aoi, none too gently. She groaned.

"Careful, Inuyasha!" I snapped.

"What should we do with her sword?" Shippou asked; he touched Ryuutsurugi's cold blade curiously. He squeaked as the sword abruptly burst into purplish-black flames. It rose of its own accord, and flew into Aoi's outstretched hand, which had also moved of its own will.

There was a brief silence.

"Well," Inuyasha said, "I guess that solves that problem."

There was a ripping sound, and Aoi's dragon wings abruptly popped from her back; her cap fell to the ground as her reptilian ears forced their way through her hair.

"Wow," Miroku whistled. "She must be very deeply asleep to lose control like that…"

I stooped down and picked up Aoi's hat. "Let's go," I said.

Shipon Manor

A light breeze blew through the estate; it blew far away, to a place beyond the outskirts of the town. It blew deep into the surrounding forest, and through the tiny shrine box that sat far away from any roads or towns in the centre of a tiny, insignificant clearing.  
The shrine, which had lain there undisturbed for many years, trembled.


	16. Chapter 15

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 15-

Forest, Aoi

I groaned as soon as I woke up. My head was pounding painfully.

"Aoi?!" I heard someone cry. Kagome?

I opened my eyes, blinking a few times to try and make them adjust to the bright sunlight quicker.

"Hey!" I heard Kagome shout, "Aoi's awake!"

I slowly sat up as a muffled shout sounded in reply. Kagome gasped.

"Aoi, you shouldn't get up-"

"I'm okay," I told her, smiling. I pressed my fingers to my temples. "I've just got a _massive_ headache…"

"That would be because of the amount of blood you lost," someone chattered; I jumped, having thought Kagome and I were alone. I glanced around, but there was nobody there; I only saw what looked like a pine forest. I was sitting in the middle of a wide clearing. "The girl will needf food, something to drink and more rest."

"Who-?" I squeaked, still glancing around in alarm.

"Oh, right!" Kagome reached over and plucked something from the top of my head; I gasped as she revealed a tiny, old man. I couldn't see a mouth or a nose on his face, but a orange-red proboscis replaced them. "This is Myoga-jii-san; he's a flea demon."

"A flea demon?" I repeated in wonder as Myoga the flea jumped down from Kagome's palm and bowed.

"It's an honour to officially meet you, Aoi-sama," he said.

"Myoga-jii-san is the one who sucked the poison out of your body, Aoi," Kagome explained.

"Yeah, but he's useless when it comes to anything besides sucking blood," Inuyasha growled as he stepped into the clearing.

"And he always runs away whenever there's a fight," Shippou chipped in, trotting after Inuyasha.

"He has the annoying habit of biting people upon meeting," Sango said as she followed.

"But, he's saved us all at least once," Miroku reminded them fairly as he joined the others.

Kirara mewed.

Kagome was rummaging in her enormous, yellow rucksack. She drew out a bag of crisps and a bottle of water. "It isn't much, Aoi, but please have some."

Shippou's mouth watered. "Where's mine?"

"Aoi's recovering from bad wounds," Kagome barked, "She needs this more than you-"

"Here you go," I said, offering the crisps to Shippou. The fox demon leapt for joy.

"Aoi!" Kagome said angrily; Shippou and I both flinched. "Shut up and eat it!"

I did as I was told, cowering under her glare.

"Now that Aoi-san has woken up, we should travel faster," Miroku said, looking up at the clear sky.

"Miroku, Aoi can't be fully healed yet," Kagome began hotly.

"How long have I been out?" I interrupted before Kagome could continue.

"About three days," Miroku told me.

"In that case, I'm all healed," I said bluntly.

"Of course you're not," Kagome snapped. "Did you see how much blood you were-"

"Keep in mind that Aoi-san is half-demon," Sango pointed out, "She'd be able to heal from wounds like that a lot faster than we could."

"Exactly," I smiled. I bounced to my feet to prove my point. And winced.

"Aoi!" Kagome grabbed my arm, as if she were trying to steady me.

"It's okay, it's okay!" I reassured her, tensing my right hand. It was throbbing painfully. "It's just my hand… it must still hurt from where that spider psycho scratched my arm." Then I remembered something very important.

"Ryuutsurugi!" I squealed; Kagome leapt away from me. "Where is it?! Where's my sword?!"

"Calm down, Blue-girl," Inuyasha snapped. "That sword went back to you after you passed out."

"And Kokuei?!"

Inuyasha blinked. "What?"

"Kokuei! What about my jewel?!" I hastily felt in the pockets of my shorts, sure that had been where I'd shoved it before fighting Hogohushi.

"Ah!" Kagome cried, understanding. She rummaged in her rucksack again. "I have your jewel here!"

I almost fainted again with relief.

"Here it is," Kagome said happily, drawing out the jewel. But it was different. Before, it had been a simple, plain black gem with purple highlights. It was definitely the same jewel, but now it was fixed inside a metal bracket. The bracket was attached to a black strip of leather.

"Wh-what did you-?"

"We thought it would be easier to manage if you always knew where it was," Sango explained, "So Kagome made it into a… a…"

"A choker," Kagome filled in. "It was either that or a bracelet, but I thought a choker would be prettier."

"Ch-choker?" I repeated with surprise.

"That's right!" Kagome confirmed happily; she stepped closer to me, and tied the strip of leather around my neck. It fit comfortably, with Kokuei resting between my collarbones.

"It's pretty," Shippou said in awe. Miroku nodded vigorously, then looked away nervously when Sango shot him a glare.

"Thank you," I said quietly. A grin slowly stretched my lips. "Thank you so much!"


	17. Chapter 16

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 16-

Forest, Aoi

How long had I been in this era? I know I'd either been healing or knocked out for a lot of it._ That_ was annoying. Let's see… the first day when I'd battled that Naraku guy… three days to heal after Inuyasha's little 'experiment'… four days of travelling, meeting Sesshomaru, and taking on Hogohushi… about three days of being knocked out from the venom… and one day of resting. That was twelve days – almost two weeks.

I was so_ homesick_!

"How's your head today, Aoi?" Kagome asked me; I jumped, forcing myself to emerge from my thoughts and look at my cousin.

"It's fine," I lied, trying to ignore me throbbing headache. I smiled.

"And your arm?"

"All better," I lied again, forcing my aching right arm to raise and wave at her. I forced the tears of pain back; I didn't want to be a hindrance to everyone by slowing them down even more than I already was.

"That's good," Kagome said with relief.

"If that's the case, then let's get moving," Inuyasha barked. I glanced at him guiltily.

"Inuyasha," Kagome growled dangerously.

"What?" He snapped. "We found a jewel shard in that spider freak, and that probably means that Naraku's close, seeing's how he's got pretty much _every_ jewel shard that we don't. Can't you sense any more of them?"

"No, I can't," Kagome snapped back. "Just like with Hogohushi; I can't sense anything!"

"Now that you mention it," Miroku said, looking up from sharpening his staff, "Since Aoi-san started travelling with us, I've found it a lot more difficult to sense demonic auras."

"The same for me," Sango agreed. "Isn't it strange that not one of us sensed the demon in Hogohushi?"

Shippou nodded. "Hm, hm!"

Kirara cocked her head, and mewed with confusion.

Everyone, even the two-tailed cat, was staring at me. I shuffled my feet. "Um… sorry about that?"

"It might have something to do with that jewel of hers," Miroku said, nodding at Kokuei around my neck, attached to the choker that Kagome had made for me.

Inuyasha stepped toward me; I looked at him nervously. "What is that thing?"

"I… I don't know," I said, glancing away from him.

"Yes, you do."

I pulled my cap lower, hiding my eyes, and didn't reply.

"Aoi," Kagome said consolingly, "Come on. It might be something important-"

"I said I don't know!" I snapped.

What was I doing? Suddenly, I was running. My headache had amplified so much that my ears were ringing.

"Aoi?! _Wait_!"

I ran as fast as I could, which I must admit is pretty fast. Why was I running, though? Why did I snap like that? Why hadn't I told them what Kokuei could do…?

I could feel I was being followed; judging from the speed, it was Inuyasha. Damn, persistent mutt-

I skidded to a stop. What was a thinking? What was I doing? This wasn't like me. Not like me at all…

But I didn't want to be found. Not by Inuyasha; not by anyone. At least, that's what I told myself; I had a very strange sensation about me, as if I _needed_ to run. I needed to get somewhere…

I bounded forward again, toward wherever my subconscious was tugging me. I don't really know how far, or for how long I ran; I just ran.

Eventually, I slowed down. I slowed down because the tugging sensation had stopped. This must have been the place. The place I'd been heading.

A tiny, very old shrine box sat in the middle of a miniscule clearing. The inside of the box was filled with leaves. It looked as if it had lain there, undisturbed, for hundreds of years.

I took a step closer to it.

Abruptly, the pain in my head and right arm exploded; I cried out and fell to my knees, both hands grinding my temples.

I didn't remember anything clearly after that.

Inuyasha

I smelled her before I heard her shout.

I landed with a loud thunk on the thick branch of a tree. Blue-girl was closer than I'd expected; that stone of hers was making her scent blur in and out of perception, which made her damn hard to track.

After glancing around a few times, I spotted her lying face-down in a tiny clearing a few hundred feet away. Aw, crap.

I leapt into the clearing, landing softly in front of Blue-girl. I glanced at the shrine box briefly before I crouched down beside her.

"Oi! You still alive?" I roughly shook her shoulder.

What happened next, I was not expecting.

"Kuro-Tsume!"

The air was forced out of my lungs in a loud grunt as the projectiles slashed my chest and shoulder; I leapt away from her, drawing Tetsusaiga as I went. "What the hell's the big idea-"

I only noticed then that Blue-girl's scent had changed. It had only changed slightly, but it was then that I recognised it. My eyes widened.

No way… how could I have not noticed sooner? So THAT was what Sesshomaru had been talking about…!

Blue-girl had gotten to her feet. She slowly raised her head; her pupils were slitted like a snakes'.

"Where is he?" She asked. My frown deepened; I could still hear Blue-girl's voice, but it was being overridden by a deeper, gruffer voice; it was the voice of someone who'd been possessed.

"I don't know who you're talking about," I snarled; I braced Tetsusaiga. "Let Blue-girl go!"

She paused for a moment. "This body… this soul… they are one and the same."

"What crap are you talking?"

Blue-girl blinked; her eyes were abruptly back to normal. She blinked a few more times.

"Inu… yasha…?"

I sprang forward as she fainted and caught her before she hit the ground. Her scent was back to normal, too. The demon that'd possessed her was gone.

Dammit… Why did Blue-girl smell so much like Ryuusai?!

Distant Battlefield

The bones of those who had fallen were littered over the field, mixed with rusting armour and bloodstained, broken swords. No grass grew here; it was an evil place of death. Sesshomaru seemed to have no problems with that. Wherever he was going, this was the most direct route. His companions, on the other hand, seemed to have a few qualms.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama," the human girl, Rin, whined. "This place is creepy! Can't we go around?"

"Do not question Sesshomaru-sama's decision!" Jaken snapped. "His word is final!"

The reptilian creature on which Rin rode chuffed nervously; it was taking small, careful steps between the skeletons.

The wind changed direction.

Jaken accidently walked into Sesshomaru's leg as the latter stopped abruptly. Jaken jumped away and squeaked a hasty apology.

Sesshomaru whipped around, his eyes wide, to stare in the direction of where the wind had blown. Neither of his companions had ever seen him wear such an expression on his usually cold, calm face.

"… Ryuusai…?" Sesshomaru said with quiet puzzlement.

"Who's Ryuusai?" Rin asked at the same time as Jaken squealed, "_Ryuusai_?!"

Sesshomaru didn't answer either of them. He paused for a moment, staring into the distance, before he seemed to come to his senses. He summoned his power to fly, and rose quickly into the air. Rin flicked the reins of the reptilian creature; it whinnied, and followed Sesshomaru.

"Ah – wait! Rin! Sesshomaru-sama! _Don't leave me here_!" Jaken shrieked, running helter-skelter to keep up with his flying companions.


	18. Chapter 17

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 17-

Forest, Kagome

"I'll get her – don't move from here!" Inuyasha had yelled over his shoulder as he leapt after Aoi. I knew he was right, that he was the only one who could catch up to her, even if we all chased after her. But I still had trouble just sitting here and doing nothing.

"Argh! Where is he?!" I finally burst out; I was pacing all over the clearing, while the others sat discussing what could be wrong with Aoi in the centre.

Sango glanced at me. "They've only been gone for about ten minutes, Kagome-chan."

I half-turned to stare at her. "Seriously? It feels like much longer…"

I flicked my eyes toward the edge forest when I heard something swish; I relaxed when I saw it was Inuyasha, running between the trees with Aoi latched, terrified, to his back.

"Aoi!" I cried, and ran to meet them; Inuyasha was faster, of course, and had already reached the edge of the clearing and dropped Aoi before I reached them. "Aoi! Are you alright? What happened?"

"I…" Aoi glanced at Inuyasha, as if she herself were unsure of what had happened. She let her gaze fall to the ground.

It was only then that I noticed that Inuyasha was bleeding.

"Wh-what happened?" I repeated, stepping over to Inuyasha. "Why are you hurt?!"

"I…" Aoi started, but her voice failed her again.

"She got possessed," Inuyasha filled in shortly.

"_What_?!" I turned away from Inuyasha to stare worriedly at Aoi.

"I… I'm sorry…" Aoi finally managed to stammer. Her lip trembled, and tears abruptly filled her green eyes. "I'm sorry…!"

I hugged her, and she gripped me back tightly. I looked over her head at Inuyasha as she started sobbing. "What happened?" I asked again.

"I'm not sure," Inuyasha growled. He was frowning at Aoi with a look of great mistrust. "She'd passed out, so I tried to wake her up - then she attacked me."

I gasped, and hugged Aoi tighter. "But… she was possessed, right?"

"Do you know who – or what – was controlling her?" Miroku asked, coming over to our huddle.

Inuyasha hesitated. "I know who it was, but… it's impossible that it was that particular demon. Her scent was exactly the same as it, though," he jabbed his thumb at Aoi. She hiccoughed.

Miroku frowned. "Aoi-san's scent changed?"

Inuyasha nodded. "It was like she'd become a completely different person, literally. Have you ever heard of Ryuusai?" He asked abruptly.

Miroku slowly shook his head. "I haven't…"

"Ryuusai?!" Myoga squeaked; I glanced behind me and watched as the old flea bounced about hysterically on the ground.

"You remember her, Myoga?" Inuyasha growled. "That was the scent I got from Blue-girl… and I heard Ryuusai's voice. It was like she was back from the dead."

"This is bad, Inuyasha-sama!" Myoga cried, leaping about with even more vigour. "Ryuusai doesn't have the power to possess people anymore! How could she have-"

"Who the heck is Ryuusai?" I asked angrily. Aoi raised her head, sniffling.

"She was a dragon demon with wings," Inuyasha began. "She came in from the far west a _long_ time ago with her father. And she was extremely powerful. I don't know all that much about her, except that she went insane with power almost a hundred years ago, and was wreaking havoc amongst demons and humans. After a while, she was killed… by Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru?" I said in surprise.

"Why would Sesshomaru kill Ryuusai?" Sango asked with confusion.

Inuyasha shrugged. "He just felt like tearing someone to shreds?"

"Sesshomaru-sama and Ryuusai," Myoga interrupted solemnly, "Were great friends."

"Sesshomaru has friends?" Shippou asked doubtfully. Myoga went on as if he hadn't heard him.

"She saved Sesshomaru-sama's life when they were both very young; they were inseparable ever since." He glanced between me and Inuyasha. "Actually, your relationship, Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-sama, is not unlike how _their_ relationship was."

Me and Inuyasha glanced at each other, then looked away awkwardly.

"It is my belief that Sesshomaru-sama killed Ryuusai because _he_ believed that in her madness, her soul was kept a prisoner in her own body. By killing her, he set her free of that madness." Myoga finished with a sad, little nod.

"Even so," Miroku said darkly, "Why would Ryuusai be able to possess Aoi-san? It doesn't make sense; she's definitely dead, correct?"

"Yeah, but I've noticed a few things that Ryuusai and Blue-girl have in common," Inuyasha said. He glanced at Aoi. "Like that they have exactly the same hair and eyes. And that Blue girl just so happens to be a winged dragon demon. And that their scents are almost exactly the same."

"What are you saying?" I asked with surprise.

Inuyasha didn't have time to reply. Aoi let go of me, and I let go of her; she stepped away from me, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.

"I heard her," Aoi said quietly. I frowned. "I heard this… Ryuusai. She was telling me things… things I shouldn't do, if I didn't want to end up like her."

"Oh _great_," Inuyasha huffed, "Now she's hearin' voices."

"Inuyasha!" I barked angrily. I almost told him to 'sit', but I gathered that would be unfair.

"Anyway," I said, changing the subject rather abruptly. "Aoi, you probably need some more rest; being possessed like that must have been tiring. Se, we'll stay here for maybe one more day-"

"No!" Aoi squeaked. I looked at her with surprise. "I mean – it's this forest; I've only had this headache since I came here. It's like this forest is what's causing it… I don't want to stay here."

"Now that you speak of it," Miroku said, "Was there anything you may have done to trigger Ryuusai's possession of you?"

Aoi hesitated, then slowly shook her head. "I just stepped toward that shrine box… then my head started hurting really badly, and I think I passed out…"

"Shrine box?" Shippou said curiously at the same time Miroku continued. "This forest might be one of the many places that are potent to capturing and holding evil and resentful spirits; that shrine box must have been the centre of this forest. That you were near it made you more potent to be possessed."

"In that case, let's leave this forest," Sango said. "It will be better for all of us if we make a hasty exit."

"I'll say," Inuyasha growled. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's move!"

He strode over to the opposite side of the clearing as the other started grabbing their weapons and supplies from where they lay, scattered over the clearing.

I hesitated, before I realised that I'd been overruled; even Aoi had started moving toward Kirara, who mewed and burst into flame as she transformed. I sighed, and trudged toward my rucksack, bow and arrows.

Aoi

I winced as my head throbbed more painfully than it had a second ago. My back was still to the others, so I don't think anyone saw. Anyone except Inuyasha. I sighed, and clambered onto Kirara's back. The sooner I left this forest of Ryuusai's, the happier I'd be.


	19. Chapter 18

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 18-

Kaede's Village, Aoi

"Why are we back here?" I asked blankly. The villagers watched with wonder as the members of our group stretched and dusted themselves off after the long journey back to the village.

"We've been in this era for a few weeks now," Kagome explained. "I don't stay here forever, you know; I go home every once in a while."

"_Home_?!" My jaw dropped; Sango laughed at my expression. "Seriously?"

"Yup!"

"But… I thought you said it wasn't be safe…"

"That was if you'd gone alone," Miroku told me. "You'll be perfectly fine if Kagome-sama goes with you."

"Just come back quickly," Inuyasha growled; I flinched. Inuyasha and I hadn't exactly been on the best of terms since I'd been possessed by Ryuusai, five days ago.

"Yeah, yeah; we will," Kagome waved dismissively. She grabbed my hand and led me to what I recognized as Inuyasha's forest. Why were we going there? I wondered.

"Is it really alright for me to go?" I asked doubtfully.

"Of course it is!" Kagome said happily; we entered the forest. "Besides, we have to show Aunt Sakura and Uncle Roku that you're okay, right?"

"I… suppose…" I frowned. "But… we were meant to leave for Hokkaido a few days ago, if I've been keeping track of the days right. Do you think they'll still be there?"

"Of course they will!" Kagome said firmly. We passed in front of the Sacred Tree and took another path. "You're their daughter. Why would they leave you?"

I didn't reply.

I gasped as I saw something familiar come into view: the bone eater's well. I glanced at Kagome quizzically.

"This is the place where we can travel between our world and this one," Kagome explained, walking closer to the well. "Only a few people can get through here."

As we drew closer to the well, my heart began to beat faster. This was the way home… home to my own time. Away from the constant threats and invisible dangers. Away from the pain of healing wounds and aching heads. Away from people who didn't like or trust me.

I followed Kagome as she jumped into the well; I gaped as a flash of purple light enveloped her body, and she faded from sight. I hesitated as I sat on the wood surrounding the well, my sandaled feet dangling in the blackness. Would I wake up and find that all this had just been a huge nightmare, if I followed my cousin? Could I have really been in the Feudal Era and battled demons and been possessed and hurt?

Then again, I _wasn't_ human. I'd known that since I was very young. Was it really that impossible that all this had been real? The whole thing was like Alice in Wonderland… only not so wondrous.

I hesitated, then jumped into the well.

I heard the wailing.

Bone Eater's Well, Kagome

She was taking longer than I'd expected. I glanced down at the floor of the well from my perch on the wooden ladder. She should have come through only a few seconds after me; was she unable to get through?

Just as I was about to leap back down to see where she was, the purple light appeared and Aoi faded into being. She landed softly with a puff of dust on her hands and knees.

"What took you so long, Aoi?" I called down to her; I beckoned her toward the ladder. "Come on! We might be back in time for lunch!"

Aoi stared at me with a bemused expression before she got to her feet and started dusting herself off. Poor thing; she must have thought she was dreaming, like I had. As I pulled myself over the edge of the well, I glanced back at Aoi. She smiled, still looking a little confused, and started climbing the ladder.

Kaede's Hut, Inuyasha

I wasn't really listening to the chatter of Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kaede. I sat apart from them, my arms and legs folded, with Tetsusaiga leaning against my shoulder. I'd much rather have been outside.

My nose twitched automatically as Kagome and Blue girl's scents faded; they must have gone through the well. And now, to wait until they came back.

I was bored with that already.

Two days. I'd give them both two days, then I'd go to get them. Two days _only_. I couldn't let that Blue-girl stay out of my sight for any longer; that she was potent to possessions by Ryuusai, according to Miroku, made her dangerous. Her being alone with someone like Kagome put me on egde.

I tried to settle myself, but it didn't work; this was going to be a _long_ two days…

Ryuusai's Clearing

The leaves in the shrine box quivered as a breeze blew through it. The breeze also blew Sesshomaru's long hair behind him, his fringe dancing across his forehead. The empty sleeve of his kimono flapped sadly against his legs.

Jaken was digging in front of the shrine box; he seemed to be searching frantically for something. Rin was nowhere to be seen.

"S-Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken gasped, emerging from the deep hole he'd dug with a wheezing cough. "I can't find anything down here; what is it that you're looking for?"

Sesshomaru didn't reply; he narrowed his eyes as he turned on his heel with a swish, and walked away from the shrine.

"Ah – Sesshomaru-sama! Wait for me!"

"Ryuusai," Sesshomaru said softly; Jaken fell silent. "She told me to place some items of hers there. That they are gone means…"

"Stolen?!" Jaken squeaked; he scuttled in front of Sesshomaru – the latter stopped before he trampled the goblin. "I promise on the pain of death that I will find these items of Ryuusai-sama's and return them to her final resting place-"

"That isn't necessary," Sesshomaru interrupted coldly. He stepped around Jaken and continued walking. "The items are in safe hands."

"Safe hands?" Jaken repeated as he scuttled after Sesshomaru. "Milord, do you know who stole the items?"

"They weren't stolen," he said softly. "They were passed on… to Ryuusai's reincarnation."

"What _are_ the items, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"The Kokuei no Tama," Sesshomaru said quietly, "And the sword, Ryuutsurugi."


	20. Chapter 19

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 19

Tokyo, Aoi

Let me cut to the chase with a quick summary of what occurred once Kagome and I left the Feudal Era.

The moment, I stepped out of the shrine and into the sunlight, I was assaulted in the form of my mother shrieking my name, running and literally leaping into my arms; I fell over backwards more from shock than from her weight.

After that, I led my sobbing mother back to the main house to where the rest of my family was. It turned out that Kagome's family had _not _told anyone where they thought I'd gone. Mrs Higurashi hysterically asked if I was okay; Souta asked if I'd seen Inuyasha, and to tell him 'hi' if I saw him again; Grandfather angrily croaked that he'd_ told_ me Kagome hadn't been allowed visitors.

Father yelled at me for almost an hour, while Onee-sama stood in the doorway and blew bubbles with her gum. Kagome was somehow able to explain away my prolonged absence by telling them there had been a camp at school, and I'd wanted to go. Father was so surprised that I'd been involved with a school activity that had nothing to do with soccer or a concert that he said he'd let me off with a grounding of one week and a warning, to never, _ever_ do something like that again.

My parents had packed my things in the hopes that I'd come back in time to go home to Hokkaido; Father almost started yelling again when I began unpacking. I explained to him, in a stroke of brilliance, that I'd liked the students and teachers on the camp, and thought coming to Kagome's school might be worth a try. I once again stunned him into silence. When my mother curiously asked about the paperwork and enrollment, Mrs Higurashi hastily said that she would take care of it.

Mother made me promise to write every day; Father said that if he heard from Mrs Higurashi or Grandfather that I'd stepped even _one_ toe out of line, he'd be back immediately to take me back to Hokkaido; Onee-sama asked if she could use my room for her unused comic books.

I breathed only when they'd left the shrine, father tooting the horn on the car and flashing the headlights as they drove away.

That meant that I was set; I could come and go from the Feudal Era as I pleased. I wouldn't have to worry about anything - apart from the whole Feudal Era thing. Ugh…

Kaede's Hut, Inuyasha

I wasn't actually _in_ Kaede's hut; I was sitting on the roof, staring at nothing in particular as I listened to the small talk of Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kaede. Kirara occasionally mewed as if in agreement.

I was _so_ bored.

It hadn't even been half a day since Kagome and Blue-girl had left for their Era. I wanted to hurry up and get moving again.

The breeze abruptly changed direction.

My ears pricked as I raised my head, sniffing. I recognized the scent… but how old was it? Surely _those_ two wouldn't have come this far for no reason… the scent was coming from the nearby Forest. From the Sacred Tree…?

Aww, crap.

I leapt down from the roof and ripped open the flap to Kaede's hut; the others, still chatting around the small fire, jumped.

"C'mon," I barked. "Kagura and Kanna are here; they're near the well!"

I didn't wait for them; I sprinted toward the forest, taking great, bounding leaps to cover more distance. I reached the clearing in next to no time. I landed softly in front of the well; I quickly gathered that there was something very wrong.

"Inuyasha!" I heard Miroku shout. I half-turned to look at he, Shippou, Sango and Kirara arrived. "Where are Kagura and Kanna?"

"They're in there," I growled menacingly; I jumped onto the edge of the well, about the leap into it. "They've followed that damned Blue-girl through the well!"

Without waiting for questions I couldn't answer, I jumped into the well; I didn't flinch as the purple light engulfed me.

Tokyo, Aoi

"_Ah_," I sighed contentedly as I flopped onto Kagome's bed. Who knew that a feather mattress could ever feel this good? I lay there for a long time, allowing my aching muscles to finally rest. After a while, I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling, my brow furrowed. Something wasn't right.

I sat up, and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I looked out the window; it was dark outside, though the porch light and distant street lamps illuminated the blackness slightly.

Someone was staring back at me.

I squeaked and fell off the bed. I scuttled on my stomach to the window, careful not to let my body show, and glanced over the sill.

There was no one there.

Breathing a sigh of relief and wondering about my mental state, I got to my feet and walked back to the bed, determined to sleep for as long as I could.

The window exploded.

I whipped back around, startled, as broken glass showered the floor, shattering as they hit the tatami mats; my jaw dropped.

A woman was in the room. She wore a long, red-and-white kimono and held a large fan in one hand. Her eyes were blood red. Was she a demon?

"Kanna," the woman said coldly. I frowned with confusion, thinking for a moment that she was addressing me. It was only then that I noticed a small, young girl standing behind the demon woman; she was deathly white, as were her clothes and hair. She held a small, perfectly round mirror in both small hands. Only her eyes were jet black, and creepily lifeless.

The girl nodded silently, and stepped around the demon woman; she held the mirror aloft. I gasped as it started to glow.

I remember nothing after that.

Kagura

The girl hadn't suspected a thing, just as I'd expected; her soul popped out of her chest easier than any I'd ever seen Kanna seal in her mirror. I caught the girl as she fell, her eyes wide and blank.

"Let's go," I said to Kanna. I reached up to my hair, and plucked a small, white feather from my bun. As I threw it to the ground, it erupted in a puff of thick, white smoke, and expanded to many times its' size, underneath our feet. I crouched down, the blue-haired girl held tightly in my grip, as I willed the wind to pick up the giant feather; we sped back toward the well-shrine without any trouble.

I'd planned to fly the feather straight back into the well before I could be met with any interference, but I was unfortunately met with an obstacle.

Inuyasha.

"Let her go, Kagura!" He snarled as he drew that damned sword of his. I glared at him.

"You think it wise, Inuyasha, to demand things of me in a situation like this?" I asked him coldly. I flicked my fan open, and held it against the girl's neck. "Let us pass, or you'll have her head to give to your comrades!"

"_Che_!" Inuyasha quickly sheathed his sword, but he otherwise didn't move. Satisfied, I flicked the fan at him, summoning my wind blades. He was forced to jump out of the way as they crashed into the raised boards lining the walls. Before he could stand, I directed the giant feather into the well, gripping the shard of the sacred jewel Naraku had given us in order to pass through the well tightly to my chest.

I glanced down at the girl as the strange, purple glow engulfed us; what did Naraku want with someone like her? I could smell the demon in her… was she of some value?

Unable to answer any of these questions, I winced slightly as the other side of the well blurred into view; I gripped the girl tightly as I directed the feather to fly straight up, then flip in midair (ignoring the alarmed shouts of those waiting around the well for Inuyasha's return) and fly towards where Naraku was waiting.


	21. Chapter 20

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 20

Tokyo, Kagome

I stepped out of the bathroom, steam billowing out of the open door from my hot bath; it was such a refreshing feeling, immersing myself in hot water for the first time in almost a month. I shivered as a walked down the hall toward my room, where I'd left Aoi about half an hour ago. I knocked lightly on the door.

"Aoi?" I said as I knocked; I paused for her to answer. She didn't.

I quietly opened the door a crack, to see if she was asleep. I flung it wide open with a gasp as I saw the scene before me.

My window was shattered; it looked as if it had been hit with a small bomb. Broken glass littered the floor and splintered wood from the windowsill had flown in every direction, landing everywhere from my bed to the opposite wall, where they had pierced the plaster.

"… Aoi…?" I called tentatively again. Of course, there was no reply. Oh, no! What if Ryuusai had taken over again, and she was going on rampage through Tokyo? I started to panic.

"She ain't here," I heard Inuyasha say. I jumped a foot in the air and spun around; there he was, looking a little beaten up with a long scratch on his cheek.

"Inuyasha!" I gasped, surprised. "When did you get here? Where's Aoi? What happened to you?!"

"Kagura and Kanna followed her scent through the well," Inuyasha growled; he glared past me through the broken window. "I don't know how they managed to get through, but they took her back with them. I'm pretty sure Kanna used that mirror of hers on Blue-girl."

I shivered, unable to forget the empty sensation of having your soul torn from your body; I felt a kind of protective urge toward Aoi just then. I didn't want my dear cousin to feel something like that, even though I knew it was already too late.

"Do you know where they took her?" I asked desperately. Inuyasha was already shaking his head as a started to speak.

"I don't have a clue," he said, his eyes darkening. "Kagura blasted me out of the way with her Dance of Blades, so I couldn't follow her straight away. I thought I should tell you first."

It was only at that moment that it registered that Inuyasha and I were alone in my room.

I shook my head hard, my thoughts scrambling as I blushed heavily. I shouldn't be thinking of something stupid like that at a time like this! Aoi was in danger! I had to go find her!

I could see that Inuyasha was looking concerned for my sanity.

"W-well, come on, then," I snapped grouchily. I grabbed the sleeve of his kimono and led him out of my room. "Let's go get her."

A short time later, Feudal Era, Inuyasha

"Their scent is heading North-East," I told everyone as they readied themselves to leave. Miroku nodded silently to show he understood; Shippou bounced onto Kirara behind Sango, who was glaring determinedly toward the North-Eastern horizon.

"Can you tell if she's okay?" Kagome asked worriedly as she clambered onto my back. She gripped Blue-girl's ridiculously tall sandals in one hand.

"Well, I can't smell any blood," I hedged. In truth, I couldn't tell exactly if she was okay or not, but I didn't want Kagome to worry so much that she snapped. No doubt, she'd take out her stress on me. It was pretty easy to do that, thanks to the damned bead necklace around my neck. I felt angry just thinking about the thing.

"Let's go then," I barked. I bounded forward as Kirara let out a loud roar. She leapt quickly to my side, and together, we headed toward wherever Blue-girl was being held captive. Though I didn't care for her personally, I hoped for the others' sake that she would be okay when we found her.

Kagura

It was foolish that Naraku had set up his hiding place so close to the human village that Inuyasha and his group stationed themselves at. They would find us quickly, especially since Naraku hadn't even erected a barrier, nor any other form of defence. My eyes narrowed with both agitation and against the wind, as the giant feather slowly started to descend from its high altitude.

I spotted our destination; a tiny shrine, which looked as if it had been abandoned and forgotten for centuries, lined on every side by enormous pine trees and a small pond, which fed a miniscule, gurgling stream. I directed the feather into a gentle slant downward, low enough that we would reach the hut without falling off due to gravity. Kanna hadn't said a word the entire trip.

The feather disappeared in another puff of thick, white smoke as we touched the earth; I caught the blue-haired girl's weight and landed squarely on my feet; Kanna did the same. I caught the now-tiny feather in my middle and index finger, and replaced it expertly to my bun.

I dragged the blue-haired girl unceremoniously toward the doors of the shrine, being none too gentle with her. She wouldn't feel it, anyway. Not that I really cared all that much.

Her bare feet bumped against the stairs as I entered the shrine, and I slid the door open with one hand. I ignored the swarming demons within the shrine as I walked through them, and glared icily at any who tried to approach me. They weren't interested in _me_, though; the half-demon stranger that I carried was much more intriguing than I was.

"Kagura," I heard Naraku purr. I stopped, and glanced around me, unsure of where he was. I spotted him sitting royally on the floor, surrounded by ancient, rotting cushions that he must have salvaged from somewhere in the shrine's storage. "You found her?"

"Yes," I replied shortly. I dragged the girl a few more feet toward Naraku, and threw her roughly to the ground. Naraku frowned. "There's no need for that, Kagura; she's our guest, not our prisoner. What's wrong with her?"

I jerked my head at Kanna, who was standing silently at my side. Creepy kid. "She captured her soul, so that she wouldn't resist."

Naraku nodded slowly, as if complying to what we'd done. "Good… return her soul to her, Kanna. She's going to need it if I want to speak with her."

Kanna didn't speak, but she lifted the mirror slightly; it glowed ghostly white, and after a slight pause, an orb of light wafted out of the mirror's depths. As if suddenly realising it was free, it whizzed around the room once before it returned to the girl's body. Kanna lowered the mirror.

Aoi

I didn't move when I abuptly awoke. I didn't remember falling asleep; the last thing I _did_ remember was the little white girl's mirror glowing brightly, then feeling nothing at all. I had no memories of being on the floor, nor of feeling the chill I remembered as being a demonic aura. Since Kokuei hadn't dispelled the aura, it must have been a very strong demon.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard someone ask coldly. I recognised that voice. Where was it from…?

"Her soul has been returned," someone whispered quietly. It sounded like a young girl.

"She's playing dead," another woman snarled. That almost made me jump; that was definitely the voice of the demon-woman who had attacked me just now in Kagome's room. What had happened? Why was she still here?

I heard two steps, then someone ripped off my cap; they grabbed a handful of my hair. They lifted me almost off my feet, holding only my hair. "Wake up already!"

I couldn't help but whimper as they shook me, tearing hairs from my scalp. Satisfied, the demon-woman (who I assumed had been the one holding my hair) dropped me. I threw out my arms to catch myself before I could land face-first on the floor. My eyes slowly fluttered open, at last.

"I told you there's no need for that, Kagura," someone behind me said coldly. My eyes jerked wide open as I recognised the voice.

_Naraku_…?!

I stood at the same time I turned. The demon-woman, Kagura, grabbed one of my arms, as if she expected me to attack him.

Naraku chuckled when he saw my expression, which I imagine was intensely freaked out. "There's no need for you to be afraid, Aoi-san; I only wish to speak with you."

I didn't reply.

Naraku leaned forward, leaning his elbows on his crossed knees. He examined me closely with cold, intrigued eyes. "How is it that you seem so familiar to me, Aoi-san?"

I blinked. That wasn't what I'd expected. Besides, how could I be familiar to him, apart from the time I'd kicked his doll's ass? As far as I knew, Ryuusai had been before his time; my face or mannerisms shouldn't have been familiar to him in any way.

"I can sense an immense power in you," Naraku continued when I remained silent. His eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't think you realise just how much power you have, locked away inside you. It is my wish to help you access this power, Aoi-san."

I frowned, but again, didn't reply. I felt it was safest not to say anything to this man. I could tell he was dangerous from the way he spoke.

"I sure that you could use this power for many things," he told me, raising one of his hands (which I noticed with a start had a glaring, red eye on the back) to caress his chin. The action made him look thoughtful. "Whatever grand, _good_ thing you desire to accomplish. I simply want to aid you in accessing it freely."

There was a short silence; I realised he was waiting for me to give my answer to his offer. I knew he was probably lying to me, but I had one dangerous flaw that he'd somehow pinned down during our first, swift meeting.

My damned curiosity.

"… what kind of power?"

Naraku grinned, revealing sharp, evil-looking teeth. "The kind I think you'll like very much, Aoi-san."

xXxXx

Hey, guys! Opalistic8 here. Sorry I didn't update for so long, I've been really busy with exams coming up and I had a bit of writers' block. Still, I hope you continue to enjoy the series, and don't forget to comment and tell me what kinds of things you want the story to have in it! I'm open to suggestions!

I love all of your faces! :)


	22. Chapter 21

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 21

A short distance away…

"Sesshomaru-sama," Rin whined as she skipped a few steps ahead of the others. "We've been travelling like this for _ages_… can't we take a break?"

"I'm warning you, brat," Jaken squeaked menacingly, brandishing the huge staff in the girl's direction. "How many times must I tell you that Sesshomaru-sama's word is final?!"

Sesshomaru didn't respond to either of them. His eyes were set determinedly in the distance, toward his goal.

"I know, Jaken-sama," Rin looked back over her shoulder at the imp. "But I just wanna have a break… I'm dying here!"

She hopped easily over a large stone as she said this. Jaken grumbled incoherently.

Sesshomaru raised his head slightly as a fresh gust of wind blew across the grassy plain which they were walking across. He must have smelled something, because he changed direction; he was now heading North-East.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken called after his master as he scuttled quickly to catch up with him; Rin sprinted behind them, grabbing the reins of the two-headed reptilian demon as she went. "Where are you going?"

"That girl…" Sesshomaru said quietly, but didn't elaborate further.

Rin and Jaken glanced at each other in confusion, but continued to scamper after Sesshomaru as he swept toward where Aoi was being held captive.

Kagome

"Is that it?" I asked Inuyasha as we sprinted through dense trees. I was referring to an ancient-looking shrine that sat at the peak of the hill that we were currently scaling, shrouded by tall trees. It seemed to be the place Inuyasha kept glancing at.

"Yeah," Inuyasha growled. He pace quickened, his eyes constantly flickering toward the shrine. He looked anxious about something.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, a little too quickly. He frowned and continued on his way. "Just… no, nothing."

I frowned, too. I wasn't so stupid as to not know when someone wasn't telling me something, especially when it was Inuyasha.

"I feel a demonic aura," Miroku announced a few seconds later. "It's strong – I suppose Kagura would have taken Aoi-san back to her master, after all."

I felt a flutter of fear. "Naraku? What does he want now?"

"Probably the same thing he's always wanted," Sango said darkly. "Power."

We mulled over this for the rest of the trip up the hill to the beaten-up shrine. Inuyasha lowered me to the ground as the others jumped off Kirara.

"Ready yourselves," Inuyasha said tensely, drawing Tetsusaiga as he spoke. "Knowing Naraku, he'll have an entourage of demons waiting to be hacked up while he escapes… we have to work quickly if we want to get Blue-girl back."

The rest of us nodded, readying ourselves as we walked towards the broken doors. I strung an arrow into my bow and pulled it tight.

We hesitated outside the door; Miroku lightly kicked it.

Immediately, a huge swarm of demons exploded from the depths of the building, almost knocking Miroku over. I released the arrow, summoning the spiritual power which gave the arrow the ability to exorcise demons. Purple light enveloped the arrow in an oval shape, and it shot through five demons before it flew away into the sky and disappeared.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted as she threw her giant boomerang; it sliced easily through the skin and flesh of the demons, then returned to her to be thrown again.

Miroku slashed and beat any demons that came within reach of the sharpened head of his staff. He leapt out of the way as one of them spat a wave of toxic substance in his direction.

Shippou was doing his best, creating illusions to throw off the opposing demon's aims: throwing fistfuls of blue flames at their eyes, creating giant spinning tops which squashed them, making himself seem two thousand times bigger than he really was.

Kirara screeched as she ripped and tore into the demons with her fangs and claws; the demons were quickly learning not to venture near the giant, two-tailed cat.

Inuyasha slashed easily at the demons, leaping to inhuman heights and spinning, slashing at the demons as he did.

"There's too many of them!" Miroku panted as he edged back, avoiding blows from a spider demon holding a dagger in each human-like hand.

I wasn't going to give up that easily; my poor cousin was in that building with Naraku and Kagura; there was no way I was just going to leave her to their limited mercy.

"Cover me!" I shouted to no one in particular; I sprinted through the throng of demons, not stopping even as they appeared right in front of my face; I think Sango shot Hiraikotsu through the demons immediately in front of me, because I met no more resistance until I got back to the doors of the shrine (we'd all been pushed back when the demons had arrived). I skidded to a halt, then, as I caught sight of Kagura.

"Dance of the Dragon Blades!"

I leapt to my right as the spiralling silver blades crashed into the ground where I had been standing; Kagura ran quickly and lightly toward me down the shrine's steps, brandishing her fan as she ran.

"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

It was Kagura's turn to dash out of the way as the yellow claw-lines raked through one of the poles supporting the roof of the shrine; the whole building started to buckle. Inuyasha was suddenly in front of me, blocking me from Kagura's sight.

"Go," he growled to me, his eyes not leaving Kagura as she leapt to her feet. I hesitated, but nodded. I ran up the stairs, not looking back. I knew Inuyasha would be okay; we knew Kagura now. Her attacks weren't surprises anymore, and she wasn't that much of a foe now that we'd figured her out.

"Aoi!" I shouted, running through the entrance of the building. I didn't have to search for long. I once again skidded to a stop as I entered a large room with an altar at one end.

Aoi was kneeling in the middle of the room, her head bowed. Her cap lay abandoned beside her, and her short, blue hair was messy. Crouched in front of her, with one hand held in front of her face, was Naraku.

"Get away from her!" I shrieked, forgetting my fear of Naraku (as well as the fact that there was no way I could defeat him, or one of his dolls, by myself) and flinging myself at them.

Naraku smiled as I approached; he bounced of the way, into one corner of the room; Aoi didn't move. I stopped beside her, and crouched down in front of her, in almost exactly the same position Naraku had been in a second earlier. "Aoi? Aoi, are you okay?"

She didn't reply. Slowly, she raised her head.

I tried to gasp when I saw that her usually jade-green eyes and become almost fluorescent, with slits for pupils; I couldn't make a sound, though, as her fingers had wrapped themselves around my throat in an iron-hard fist.


	23. Chapter 22

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 22

Abandoned Shrine, Inuyasha

Kagura gasped with pain as I snicked her with the edge of Tetsusaiga; she leapt away from me, but staggered when she landed, her kimono dripping with blood. I was panting; she was so damn hard to kill…

My head whipped around when I smelled something. Blood. _Kagome's_ blood.

Oh, _crap_…!

"Screw this," I snarled, and whirled around to face the swarming demons still fighting with the others. "GET OUTTA MY WAY!"

The others leapt out of range as raised Tetsusaiga high above my head.

"WIND SCAR!"

I didn't stick around to watch how many demons I'd slain; I'd just needed to get the damn ugly things out of my way. I spun around again, abandoning my fight with Kagura, who looked half-dead anyway, and sprinted to the shrine doors.

"_Kagome_!" I roared as I entered, looking all around me as I ran. "Kagome, where are you?!"

I didn't have to run far; I skidded to a halt and growled menacingly.

Blue-girl was holding Kagome tightly around the throat. Kagome was struggling and trying to breathe, but the other's grip was too strong. Blue-girl slowly turned to look at me; she was possessed by Ryuusai again. I'd smelled it on the way here, but it had been weak; now it burned my nose with the intensity of it.

"Ryuusai!" I snarled, bracing Tetsusaiga. "Let Kagome go!"

Ryuusai didn't respond at first; Kagome was going blue. I was getting desperate. "_Let her go, damnit_!"

Ryuusai finally released Kagome's neck; she fell heavily to the floor, coughing and gasping. Blue-girl's nails had pierced her skin.

Ryuusai turned to face me. She was distorting Blue-girl's expression; a mask of cold, burning hatred had replaced the happy-go-lucky, airy-fairy face Blue-girl usually had.

"Where is he?" Blue-girl asked; her voice wasn't that of Blue-girl, though. Unlike the last time she'd been possessed, I couldn't hear Blue-girl at all. There was only Ryuusai.

"I told you before, I don't know who you're talking about," I said angrily. Ryuusai didn't seem to like that answer.

"Where is he?" She repeated, her teeth growing into fangs as she spoke; Blue-girl seemed to be unable to hold the restraints of her animalistic features when she was in this state. "Where is he? Where is he?! _Where is he_?!"

A sudden burst of energy blew out from Blue-girl's body, knocking me over. What the hell was that?

"Amazing," I heard someone say quietly. Abruptly, I realised that Naraku was in the room, crouched in the furthest corner from me. "Such power… even I hadn't thought there would be this much…"

"Ryuusai!"

I jumped as I heard a voice I recognised. And hated. I leapt to my feet and spun around; sure enough, Sesshomaru was standing in the door to the room, staring at Blue-girl with shock.

Sesshomaru's expression was almost comical. I'd never seen his have much expression before; now he looked like he was in utter shock. Then again, this was probably like seeing Ryuusai's ghost… meh.

"What're you doing here?!" I snarled.

Sesshomaru seemed to pull himself together. He glared past me at something that wasn't Ryuusai. "What sorcery is this?"

"Only the finest, Sesshomaru-sama," Naraku chuckled.

"You…" Ryuusai whispered. I turned back to look at her; she was staring at Sesshomaru with much the same expression Sesshomaru had worn while staring at her. Then her face turned to that of intense, fiery hate. "_You_!"

With a ripping noise that echoed through my head, Ryuusai suddenly morphed into a dragon. My eyes almost bugged out of my skull. How was that possible?! Ryuusai was in Blue-girl's half-demon body; she shouldn't be able to assume her full demon form. It was _impossible_!

With an ear-splitting wailing that sounded vaguely like a cat in pain, Ryuusai threw her enormous body at Sesshomaru; Sesshomaru morphed just as quickly into his demon-dog form. The roof of the shrine wasn't able to contain the two enormous demons, and burst outward in a flurry of splinters and chunks of wood; I leapt to where Kagome lay, picked her up, and jumped out of the shrine as the whole thing started to disintegrate.

"Inuyasha!" I heard Miroku shout; keeping my eyes on the screeching demons, who were locked in battle, I landed a few meters from where I'd heard the shout.

"Mmm…" Kagome moaned, coming to. Her eyes fluttered as she woke up. "… Inuyasha…?"

Her eyes widened. "Aoi! Where's Aoi?! Ryuusai's back, she's taken over Aoi-"

"We kinda figured that out already," I commented darkly, nodding to where Ryuusai was attempting to rip off Sesshomaru's head.

Kagome gasped. "Sesshomaru? When did he-? Why is-? Is that Aoi?!"

"What happened, Inuyasha?" Sango said, her eyes dark as she watched the fight. "Aoi is a half-demon; she can't assume a full-demon form."

"I dunno," I said, glaring at nothing in particular. "She just saw Sesshomaru and flipped out. I don't know how it's possible – it's like Blue-girl really _is_ Ryuusai…"

Kagome gasped so loudly that she coughed. I glanced down at her worriedly. "What if… what if Aoi is Ryuusai's reincarnation?"

There was a short silence. Then it clicked. Of course! I was so _stupid_! How could I have not seen it before?! I'd said myself that Blue-girl was like a walking replica of Ryuusai… That was why Sesshomaru had known who she was right away. That was how Blue-girl was able to be a half-demon without having demonic parents – because her demon 'parent' had been Ryuusai…

x

The wailing screech ripped through Sesshomaru; it had been so long since he'd heard that sound; yet, again it sounded through anger and hatred. It was probably the same anger and hate from before, carried on through the years that separated Ryuusai and her reincarnation.

Sesshomaru quickly leapt into the air, high above Ryuusai, and landed behind her; he quickly spun on two of his legs and charged at Ryuusai's back, praying that he wouldn't fall over due to his missing limb. His teeth fastened on air, though, as Ryuusai's wings flicked out and carried her away from him. She breathed in a huge gulp of air, expanding her chest until it was almost spherical, then released an enormous ball of white-hot flames careening in his direction. Sesshomaru had to sprint to dodge it in time.

"Give up!" Ryuusai shouted above the crackling of the flame as it died and flickered into nothing. "You cannot win against me, Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru growled and didn't reply.

They circled each other, a large circle that to their enormous sizes seemed rather small.

"You couldn't even get rid of a stone and a sword effectively," Ryuusai continued, jarring painful memories in Sesshomaru's mind. "What makes you think you could possibly defeat me now? You're past your prime, while this body is new and strong. There is no way I can lose!"

They leapt at each other at exactly the same time; Ryuusai's enormous fangs dug into Sesshomaru's back, her claws sinking into his stomach; Sesshomaru grabbed the base of one of her wings, and tried to tug it off. Shrieking in agony, Ryuusai released him and whacked his head, hard, with her spiny elbow. Sesshomaru stumbled, but didn't let go of the wing.

"Ryuusai!" The dragon glanced, out of the corner of her eye, at a tiny, red half-demon, far away on the ground. "WIND SCAR!"

Ryuusai shrieked as the trails of light ripped across her back and tail, leaving deep gashes that gushed shockingly scarlet blood.

"_Aoi_!" A girl somewhere shrieked. "Aoi! Please, come back! _Please_!"

Aoi… the gigantic dragon recognised that name… from where?

_I'm sorry, Kokuei. I can't let you do this._

The dragon shuddered as she suddenly grew weak, too weak to hold her demon form.

"Urgh…!"

Suddenly, she was shrinking, so rapidly that it was like someone deflating a balloon. Sesshomaru morphed back too. The problem was that the girl's body stayed the same height above the ground as the centre of the dragon's body, which was alarmingly high off the ground.

Her body convulsed, as if she was experiencing extreme pain; her arms gripped her torso as if she were falling apart.

Then she began to fall.

To everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru caught her as she fell, landing softly on the ground. Dragon and dog blood smothered every surface.

The girl's wide eyes slowly began to close. As they did, their colour flickered; fluorescent, jade. Fluorescent, jade.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both relaxed as the girl's scent changed slightly, back to that of Aoi Higurashi.


	24. Chapter 23

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 23

Aoi

I didn't remember much after Naraku knelt in front of me and placed one of his hands over my eyes (much to my displeasure, but I stayed put). I mostly remember darkness; like I was dreaming about nothing. One thing I _do_ remember is something I will _always _remember.

It was really cold.

I shivered, but I didn't immediately open my eyes. I didn't recall having closed them. Tentatively, I listened to my surroundings, lying flat on my back on what felt like concrete, hard and cold against my spine and hips. I couldn't hear anything at all; the silence was almost deafening.

I slowly opened my eyes. The light that surrounded me wasn't intensely bright, nor was it dim; it was a neutral glow that floated about me through swirling, grey mist. I was sitting on some kind of greyish-white substance I couldn't identify.

I sat up as I looked around. I stood hesitantly, turning on the spot to glance behind me. I couldn't sense anything, see anything, or hear anything. The place was completely empty and devoid of life.

I sensed her before I saw her.

I gasped and twirled back around, my eyes wide. She was standing silently in the place I had been looking at before I'd turned. She'd melted into being, born from the mist that swirled about her like loving arms.

I knew who she was immediately. I'd always known who this woman was, deep inside. It was the first time I'd ever actually seen her, though. I drank in her appearance like a person dying of thirst.

Her hair was as blue as mine, though it was so long that it almost dragged across the ground. Scaly, greenish ears that I recognised immediately as my own poked from under her fringe, which framed an oval-shaped face. Her face looked a lot older and (admittedly) wiser than mine, and her eyes were an almost fluorescent green colour. Their pupils were slitted, like a cat's.

She wore a long, white kimono patterned with bright green loops that vaguely resembled vines. I could see startlingly tall sandals on her feet – the same height as my own sandals. Maybe the liking of tall shoes was another similarity between us. Her enormous wings were kept neatly folded with an air of grace that I would never be able to master, even if I lived for a thousand years. The wings were a lot more muscular than my own (probably due to the fact that she actually _used_ hers), and the short spines that tipped each prong of the wings were razor sharp.

We stared at each other for a long, tense moment. She seemed to be just as interested in me as I was in her, focusing more on my face than any other aspect of my body.

"… You're Ryuusai," I said quietly.

The woman nodded silently.

I felt a thrill of something between elation and fear. "Why are you here?"

Ryuusai hesitated for a moment, then raised a clawed hand to point at me. Confused, I glanced down at myself.

She shook her head, apparently unable to speak, and took a step closer to me; now within arm's length, she reached out and lightly touched something around my neck.

Kokuei.

"Kokuei?" I asked with confusion, clenching the gem in my left hand. "What do you want with it?"

Ryuusai shook her head sadly. She parted her lips, trying to speak. _Wanting _to speak.

"What is it?" I pleaded, suddenly feeling that it was urgent that I hear what Ryuusai had to say. Impossible _not_ to hear. Dangerous if I didn't. "Please, try to tell me!"

Her lips trembled, but she couldn't speak. She closed her eyes and hung her head in dismay.

"What? Something to do with Kokuei?" I pressed her, gripping the gem tighter. "You're trying to tell me something about Kokuei?"

She nodded slightly without opening her eyes.

"Something good?"

She shook her head.

"Something bad."

She nodded.

"How can I know what you want to tell me?" I asked, feeling a thrill of dread. I released Kokuei, letting it hang loosely around my neck. "Who can I ask? Please, Ryuusai!"

Ryuusai's eyes slowly opened. Still apparently unable to speak, she reached toward me. I naturally flinched, unsure of what she was doing. She smiled slightly to reassure me, and lightly touched my forehead with her middle and pointer fingers.

I gasped loudly as a voice surged into my head. The voice went in and out of focus, like it was coming through a broken microphone.

_The Kokuei no Tama wishes only for power, as does Naraku. You must not give it power, or all will be lost. Do not become as I did, Aoi Higurashi._

The voice faded, but Ryuusai's fingers didn't leave my forehead. She hesitated, and pressed them harder against my head. Images forced their way before my eyes; I was blind to anything except what Ryuusai was showing me.

_"No! Stay away, Sesshomaru!"_

_"Ryuusai?! What's happening-?"_

_"STAY AWAY!"_

_"Ryuusai! Stop!"_

_"It- it's Kokuei…! I can't control it-!"_

_"Ryuusai! Let me help you-"_

_"No! Stay away from me! I can't-"_

_"Ryuusai!"_

A long, wailing scream. A high, piercing note that reverberated through my ears as I fell to my knees, my eyes wide and vacant. Ryuusai let her fingers fall away from my forehead.

Tears poured from my eyes as I emerged from the memory. Ryuusai slowly knelt in front of me as I tried to get a hold of myself, looking concerned and sad.

"That – that was –"

I couldn't speak from shock. My trembling hand slowly reached to Kokuei once more.

"_Kokuei_? Kokuei was what drove you mad?"

Ryuusai nodded silently. Apparently satisfied, she let out a long, silent sigh, and closed her eyes. She began to melt back into the mist.

"Wait! Ryuusai! _Wait_!"

Just as she started to disappear completely, Ryuusai opened her eyes again. Her hand reached out, and her fingers once again found their place on my forehead. I gasped as more images, bright and colourful, dark and piercing, happy and sad, filled my head. _Her memories_. Every memory she herself could remember of her past life.

It was so sad. Yet at the same time, every part of it, even the darkest, most lonely times of her life were lined with a single beam of light, all the time, except in her earliest years.

Fresh tears overflowed from my dazzled eyes as I watched the final chapters of her life. I opened my eyes and saw the face that had always evaded her, dancing just out of her reach. Always there, but never really hers.

But I would let her have it now.

Before anyone could stop me, I'd reached around his neck, and pulled my lips to his.

Sesshomaru almost dropped me with surprise.


	25. Chapter 24

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 24

Kagome

"A-Aoi!" I gasped. This was… sudden.

My cousin seemed to come to her senses. Her eyes popped wide open, and she broke away from Sesshomaru.

"I-I'm so sorry," she gasped, blushing profusely. "I… I don't know what came over me…"

Sesshomaru hastily (and with apparent embarrassment, which was an expression that didn't suit his cold face) dumped her on the ground and stepped away from her.

"… What just happened?' Sango asked the obvious question. She glanced from Aoi to Sesshomaru, then back again. "Aoi-san?"

"… um…" Aoi seemed to be intensely uncomfortable with everyone staring at her. She drew her legs up to her chest. "I-it was Ryuusai… she showed me her memories…"

Sesshomaru stiffened.

Before Aoi could say anything further, Sesshomaru turned and started to walk quickly away.

"Oi! Where the hell d'you think you're going?" Inuyasha barked.

Sesshomaru didn't stop. I frowned, and glanced between him and Aoi, whose eyes were hidden by her fringe. She was still blushing.

What had happened, really, between Sesshomaru and Ryuusai?

"Aoi-san!"

I whipped my head around to look back at my cousin; she had suddenly fallen sideways into an alarmingly large pool of her own blood. How had I not noticed it before? Sango had been the one that shouted.

I ran over to her and picked her up; I felt sick to my stomach when I noticed the extent of the injuries she'd recieved during her battle as Ryuusai. I was surprised she hadn't dropped dead instantly.

Tears pricking at my eyes, I looked helplessly up at my friends.

"Help her," I whispered, suddenly too shocked to speak. Aoi was growing cold in my arms; she was dying. "_Help her_!"

Location unknown, Aoi

I took a long time to come to. I had no idea where I was, or how I had gotten there, or who had brought me there... for a moment, even who I _was_.

The confusion passed once I opened my eyes. They took a moment to blur into focus, but I instantly recognised the ceiling of Kaede's hut; I'd spent three days staring up at it from this exact same position, after all. I'd know that ceiling anywhere.

I also knew that I was definitely Aoi Higurashi. I wasn't Ryuusai. I _wasn't_.

You might not understand what I mean; Ryuusai had infused me with almost every single one of her memories up until the moment she'd died. There were so many of them that it was almost overwhelming - too many memories for a half-demon girl that had only really seen fifteen years of life. My own memories were crammed into a small corner of my mind, and I apparently had to physically fish them out to remember them. Like Ryuusai's memories _were_ my real memories.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to concentrate. No, I was _Aoi_. Not Ryuusai.

"Aoi-san!"

My eyes popped open; I hadn't realised that there was someone else in the hut. I tried to move my head to look around at them, but I winced as pain shot through my whole body in retaliation.

Sango's face came into view, saving me the trouble of moving for myself.

"Don't try to move," Sango told me sternly. She swiped a damp, cool cloth across my forehead; that felt nice. "Kaede-ba-chan said that you'd need at least a week's rest before you can even think about moving; it's only been three days."

Sango smiled, and arranged the damp cloth on my forehead so that it would keep me cool. "Are you feeling alright? Kagome-chan has been worried sick about you. She's out with Kaede-ba-chan now picking medicinal herbs for your wounds."

"I'm..." I vaguely remembered suddenly feeling intense pain everywhere at once, then blacking out almost instantly. There was something else I felt I should remember, too - but I couldn't bring it to mind. "I'm... okay."

"I'll let you rest now," Sango said. She stepped out of sight. I heard her settle beside the fire in the middle of the room.

"What happened to me?" I asked. I stared at the ceiling, and tried to imagine Sango's face as she replied.

"You don't remember?" She asked with surprise.

"No. Not a thing." Well, there was _something_...

"Naraku kidnapped you and forced you to become possessed by Ryuusai again; Sesshomaru showed up and gave you quite the beating. Then, for some reason, Inuyasha used his Wind Scar on you - which is why you're in such a bad state now."

"Yeah..." Ryuusai? No, Ryuusai couldn't have been the one that had possessed me. I distinctly remembered Ryuusai giving me her memories in that weird misty place. Could she have been doing completely different things in two different places? It wasn't impossible, since she was dead, I guessed. But if Ryuusai had been only talking to me, then who had been-?

"Wait, no." I heard Sango shift as she turned to look at me. "It wasn't Ryuusai."

Sango paused for a moment as she tried to take in what I'd said. "Aoi-san, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha recognised Ryuusai's voice and scent. I know it seems impossible, but Ryuusai somehow has the power to take control of you every now and then."

"It's not Ryuusai. It's Kokuei."

Another pause. "I don't understand."

I closed my eyes, trying to picture it. "Ryuusai visited me in... a dream, I guess. While I was possessed. She told me that it was Kokuei that had driven her mad all those years ago, and she warned me that it would make me end up like her, too. Kokuei was the one controlling me, not Ryuusai."

Sango didn't reply for what felt like a long time. At last, she sighed. "You should get some rest, Aoi-san. I'll tell the others about this, and we'll talk more once you're healed."

I felt like arguing, but my eyelids had grown heavy; I couldn't open them anymore. I felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness, then finally I landed on something.

Something very, very _hard_.

"Ow!" I yelped. I hadn't just landed, I'd _fallen_. From a significant height, it felt. My eyes flew open, and I sat up without a hint of pain. What was going on?

Suddenly, I recognised where I was; the greyish-white, swirling mist was enough to clue me in. I was dreaming.

I got to my feet, staring around me at my surroundings. I wasn't in the same place I'd been when Ryuusai had spoken to me while I'd been possessed by Kokuei; while everything was made of the same white, hard substance as the ground, it had been shaped up into stark, bare-limbed trees, rocks and boulders, small, motionless animals.

It was intensely creepy.

Ryuusai didn't appear behind me this time; she had been waiting for me. She sat contentedly on a snow-white rock, her flourescent eyes boring into me as I oriented myself. She gave a small smile when I noticed her.

"Ryuusai?"

She slipped gracefully off of the rock, and walked toward me. I noticed with a start that her feet didn't quite touch the ground.

"Why did you bring me here again?" I asked her as she drew closer. She stopped an arms-length in front of me. Her eyes grew a little sad, and she reached up to touch my forehead. I bowed my head to make her job easier.

_I've troubled you. I didn't realise that my memories would be such a burden._

"What?" I answered the thought she'd sent me, my brow furrowing. "They're not a burden."

Ryuusai, having not released her fingers from my head, sent another message.

_Your thoughts say otherwise._

Fair enough.

_There is a method, _Ryuusai continued, _I can reverse the focus; make your memories your own, and store _my _memories... 'away in the corner', as you put it earlier._

I blushed, but nodded. "Okay... how do we do that?"

_Simple._

And just like that, Ryuusai's and my memories switched places. I have no other way to describe it, only that it was _extremely _disorientating. Feeling dizzy, I fell to my knees. Ryuusai's fingers remained attached to my forehead, and she knelt down in front of me again.

_Sleep now._

"'Kay," I mumbled. I barely noticed as the misty world dissolved around me, and Ryuusai's fingers slowly faded from my forehead. I welcomed the peaceful blackness of sleep that waited for me.


	26. Chapter 25

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 25

Kaede's Hut, Aoi

"So you're trying to tell us," Miroku repeated very seriously, his arms crossed, "That you believe it was the Kokuei no Tama that possessed both you and Ryuusai, driving the two of you to madness?"

I pulled the woollen blanket Kagome had brought me from the modern era tighter around me and nodded. "I can't really explain it – it's like Kokuei has a kind of consciousness of its own. Once its keeper starts depending on it too much, it consumes them."

Kagome cast me a worried look. "Dependency? But Aoi, you-"

"Depend on Kokuei completely, I know." I looked into the fire we were seated around with a frown. "I don't know why it's different with me. Kokuei hasn't consumed me entirely yet."

"Could it be because Kokuei was found in your right hand, along with your sword?" Sango mused. "Perhaps it bonded with you in some way during that time."

Kirara mewed, and gently licked my right hand. I scratched the top of her head absently.

"Maybe," I replied. My frown deepened. "I don't know, though – Ryuusai doesn't have a clue, either."

Miroku gave me the look he'd given me quite a lot lately; concern for my sanity. "You keep talking about Ryuusai like you can commune with her."

I looked up at him. "I _can_."

"You are Ryuusai's reincarnation," Miroku said for what felt like the thousandth time. "Your souls are one and the same; there's no distinction between them. It is _impossible _that you can talk to her like you say you can-"

"Leave it," Sango sighed. I'd poured myself a cup of steaming tea and stopped listening.

My attention found a new focus: Inuyasha.

He was sitting by the door like he usually did, his legs and arms crossed. Tetsusaiga rested against his shoulder, and he was glaring uncomfortably at the left wall of the hut.

"Inuyasha-san? What's wrong?"

The others also turned to look at Inuyasha, apparently looking for an escape from the awkward silence that had intruded after the conversation.

Inuyasha jumped a little, as if being snapped out of a trance, and glanced somewhat guiltily at us. "Nothing in particular."

Kagome frowned. "There's something, Inuyasha. What's wrong?"

He hesitated for a moment, then looked back at the left wall, avoiding our eyes. "It's just… Miroku's wrong."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"It's not… _impossible_ for reincarnations to communicate. We know that already, don't we?"

Kagome suddenly stiffened. She turned away from Inuyasha and poured herself a fresh cup of tea, looking a little flustered.

Sango glanced at Kagome, then back at Inuyasha. "I suppose… but she hasn't exactly been all too kind to us, or to _you_, has she? I doubt she'd want to help out with something like this."

Inuyasha glared at the group. "We don't know unless we try, do we?"

I stared at them as they talked. "Um… who are we talking about?"

Nobody paid me any mind; Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha kept debating over whether or not they should seek the advice from the mysterious person, and Kagome kept sipping icily from her teacup.

"Don't worry about them for now," Shippou told me. I looked down at him as he took a swig from his own teacup.

"Do you know who they're talking about, Shippou?" I asked.

"Yeah," Shippou said nonchalantly. He looked up at me cheekily. "But if Kagome-nee-chan doesn't want me to tell, then I won't."

I sighed, and tugged the blanket tighter around me.

It had been almost two weeks since Naraku had kidnapped me. I couldn't remember most of it, except for occasional, incredibly painful changes of bandages and fever-stricken sips of water. As Sango had promised, she'd filled the others in about my suspicions, and we'd started talking – or, rather, arguing – about the possibilities.

My wounds were more or less healed now; they had left angry red scars almost everywhere on my body, though, and Kagome was convinced that I was still in pain, despite my saying I wasn't.

Kagome abruptly slammed her teacup down, hard, onto the wooden floorboards. Everyone snapped to attention, staring at her as if she were a crazed lunatic.

"If we really need her help to make Aoi better," she said sniffily, "Then we might as well go find her. It'd make Inuyasha happy at least, wouldn't it?"

Kagome got to her feet, and stalked past the others out the door.

A near tangible silence remained in her place.

I cleared my throat. "So, uh… who?"

"I'll inform Kaede-sama of our departure," Miroku informed us. He followed Kagome out the door.

"Kirara, come on," Sango called. Kirara mewed, and bounded to her mistress' side. The pair exited the hut as well, and I heard the loud whoosh that preluded Kirara's fiery transformation.

"Wait for me!" Shippou yelled; he stumbled to his feet and bounded through the flap.

Only Inuyasha and I remained. I scrambled to my feet at the same time Inuyasha rose. "Hold up! Who are we trying to find?"

Inuyasha glanced at me, hesitated for a moment, then exited without telling me anything.

I huffed, angry that nobody would get over their awkwardness to just _tell _me. I folded the blanket, set it onto the bed that had been my home for the past two weeks, and grabbed the choker that held Kokuei.

I refused to wear the stone around my neck anymore; I kept it in my pocket, as I had always used to. I didn't feel safe with Kokuei anymore.

Later that day…

"Will someone _please _tell me what's going on?"

I rode on Kirara with Sango, Miroku and Shippou, even though I'd told them that I could run alongside them now. Kagome had given me her deadliest glare yet, and I'd clambered onto the cat's back without another peep.

Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back, though the both of them looked incredibly awkward - not at all what they usually looked like when we travelled like this.

Kagome looked at me with surprise. "Hasn't anyone told you?"

I cast a cool glance at the three in front of me; they all wore rather comical expressions of varying guilt. "Afraid not."

"Well, uh..." Kagome glanced at the back of Inuyasha's head, looking like she worried about what would happen if she told me anything. She frowned, as if realising that she didn't _really _care, and turned back to me with a smile. "We're looking for the woman who _I _was reincarnated from!"

I stared. "Seriously? You're a reincarnation, too?"

"Yeah," Kagome said happily. "That's why it wasn't so much of a surprise to us that you were Ryuusai's reincarnation."

I looked at Miroku with confusion. "Wait. So is Kagome's - uh - _pre_incarnation not dead yet, or something?"

"Well, that's where it gets a little..." Miroku looked at Kagome uncertainly. I looked back at her too.

Kagome gave me another smile, though this one looked especially forced. "It's a long story. Suffice it to say, my... _pre_incarnation is dead."

I frowned. "Then where are we-?"

I suddenly felt a thrill of dread. My heartbeat quickened, and a sickening feeling filled my stomach; I almost gagged. I whipped around, staring at where I knew the cause of this disturbance lay, my eyes wide.

I gasped. "What is _that_?"

Everyone looked at the place I'd suddenly turned to - and stared.

"That's a soul gatherer," Kagome said with awe. "I didn't even notice it."

The creature looked vaguely like a reptillian dragonfly, with a snake-like head and elongated body. It was holding a silvery-white orb with its spindly legs, and bobbed and weaved through the air nearby us easily.

I knew that it was this creature that was making me feel nauseas; the feeling hadn't passed. I stared at it, trying to figure out what it was about it that was causing me to feel this way.

I sensed another one. It was flying at me, incredibly fast. I gasped and turned around - just as another soul gatherer smacked into my chest.

"_Aoi_!" Kagome shrieked. She threw out a hand to try and catch me - but it was too late.

I was knocked sideways off Kirara, and fell the long distance from the top of the trees to the bottom of the forest floor. The fall didn't hurt as much as I'd thought it would, but I must have landed wrong. I blacked out instantly.


	27. Chapter 26

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 26

Unknown forest, Aoi

The first thought to cross my mind was rather snide.

_God damn it! I blacked out _again_?_

My eyes slowly opened, but I gasped and held up a hand to shield them as startlingly bright sunlight momentarily blinded me. I sat up slowly, desperately trying to avoid getting a head-rush, and stared around me at my new surroundings.

I was _pretty _sure that this hadn't been where I'd landed. I had been cradled in the y-bend of a tree, my head and legs resting against opposite branches. The trees themselves seemed taller and denser, and the air somehow… tasted different. I couldn't really explain it.

"Have you awoken?"

I nearly leapt out of my skin; I toppled out of the tree and fell the luckily short distance to the ground.

"_Oof!_"

Someone gave a low chuckle. "I suppose you have."

I sat up again, and rubbed the arm I'd landed on. I glanced toward where the voice had come from.

It was a tall woman with alarmingly pale skin; her long, beautiful dark hair contrasted with her face, making it look like she was glowing. She wore the get-up of a Shinto priestess, like Kaede, and wooden travelling sandals were wrapped around her feet.

She was standing at a distance, as if worried about what I would do once I woke up.

I got to my feet, still nursing the arm I'd landed on. "Who're you?"

She smiled warmly. "I am a mere wandering priestess, my only desire to aid those in need. My name is Kikyo."

Above the forest, Kagome

"Come _on_!" I yelled in Inuyasha's ear, "Aoi fell _right here_! Surely you couldn't have lost her that easily!"

"Get off my case," Inuyasha snapped back, "I know where she fell! I'm telling you, she ain't there!"

Inuyasha landed easily on a branch; we'd been searching the forest where we'd been sure Aoi had been knocked off by one of Kikyo's soul gatherers for over half an hour; we hadn't caught a trace of her.

"Are Miroku and Sango back yet?" I pressed, glancing about me to see if Kirara's flames were anywhere in sight.

"Doesn't look like it," Inuyasha muttered.

He leapt off the branch onto another one, lower to the forest floor. He hopped like this from branch to branch until he finally reached the ground; he let go of me, and I stepped lightly off his back.

"What do we do now, then?" I was already wringing my hands, casting my eyes worriedly around the trees as if hoping my cousin would suddenly come out from behind a tree. "We can't just leave her!"

"Of course not!" Inuyasha snapped. "Calm down, Kagome, we're gonna find Blue-girl. We probably just didn't remember where she fell right."

"Can't you just follow her scent?" I pointed out.

"I can't," Inuyasha sighed; he folded his arms impatiently. "That stone of hers has wiped her right off the map; I can't smell her at all."

I frowned. "You mean Kokuei? I thought she didn't bring it with her; she wasn't wearing it."

Inuyasha shook his head. "She had it."

I pondered this for a moment, wondering why Aoi didn't wear the gem in the choker I'd made for her. I shrugged this off, however, deciding that _finding _her was more important.

"Inuyasha! Kagome-sama!"

We both looked up as we heard Miroku shout; he, Sango and Shippou held onto each other as Kirara expertly landed nearby; they all jumped off immediately, looking worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately; I took a few steps toward them as they half-jogged to meet us. "Did you find-?"

"We didn't find Aoi-san," Sango filled in for me. She looked at Miroku. "We did find… something, though."

I looked at Miroku as he fished something out from his pocket. I gasped as I recognised the choker I'd made for Aoi, to house Kokuei.

The metal bracket that usually contained the gem had been pried open. Kokuei was nowhere to be seen.

"Wh-" I tried to say, my eyes wide. "Wh- what happened? Did you find Aoi? Where's Kokuei?"

Sango was already shaking her head. "The gem was nowhere within a five-mile radius; Kirara couldn't find it, or Aoi-san."

"It looks like someone wanted the Kokuei no Tama," Miroku commented darkly. "I'm sorry to say that it looks like they got it."

"And what about the soul gatherers?" I pressed, feeling a surge of panic beginning to rise in my chest. "Did you see anymore of Kikyo's soul gatherers?"

"No."

I hung my head, desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

Aoi was gone. No one could find her. She could be hurt, or unconscious, or fighting some immensely powerful demon, or in _danger_.

Kokuei, the immensely powerful stone that seemed to be related somehow to the Sacred Jewel, was also missing, and looked as if it had been stolen by someone – or something – that really wanted it.

I had _no _idea what to do.

"Look!"

The shout had come from Inuyasha. He was staring at…

"Is that a barrier?" Sango gasped.

A strange, blue-tinged sphere had suddenly appeared nearby. The culprit for its reveal was most likely the bird that squawked and flew away, fluttering with a damaged wing from the impact.

"That _must _be where Aoi is," I announced. I had no idea why I thought that, but something about the barrier seemed weirdly familiar to me. "Let's go!"

"Wait, Kagome-sama!" Miroku grabbed my shoulder before I could sprint head-long at the barrier. "We don't know how to get inside! It might be dangerous!"

I looked helplessly at the barrier, then realised that Miroku was right. After all, my hunch that Aoi was inside that _particular_ barrier might be false, and I might lead us all into terrible danger. I let my head droop in defeat.

"Fine."

"I'll try to find a way to break through the barrier," Miroku continued, releasing my shoulder. He looked back at the others. "Tell me if anything changes. Let's go."

Inside the barrier, Aoi

Something about Kikyo seemed _wrong_. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about the priestess definitely seemed off.

She certainly _seemed_ nice enough, though.

"There," she announced. She firmly bound the make-shift salve to my arm, and drew back slightly. "This should help dim your scars a little; you certainly look as though you've been through a rough time."

We were both kneeling next to the y-bend tree I'd woken up in. Kikyo had set up a small fire, and noticed how bad my scars were. She'd insisted on helping me.

"Thanks a lot," I smiled in return. I lightly patted the salve on my left arm. "I was worried that everyone would start calling me a war hero, or something."

Kikyo laughed lightly again. "You wouldn't take that as a compliment?"

I shrugged. "It just seems an odd nickname for someone my age, is all."

Kikyo politely cocked her head. "May I ask how old you are, Aoi-san?"

"Fifteen," I replied immediately.

"Would you mind if I asked who your father was?"

I blinked, then looked away uncomfortably. "Um… you probably wouldn't have heard of him. I'm… not from around here."

Kikyo smiled. "I am a _wandering _priestess, Aoi-san. I've met and heard of _a lot _of people."

I half-smiled, still a little uncomfortable; I guessed it wouldn't matter if she knew the name of my father, who wouldn't born for another five hundred years, right? "Roku. My father's name is Roku."

"And your mother?"

"Ichigo."

Kikyo cocked her head. "Ichigo?"

I blinked, forgetting that my mother's name would not have been very common at _all _during the Feudal Era. "Er – yes. Her parents were rather creative in their naming."

Kikyo smiled. "I hope you don't mind my asking; how did you hair become such a colour?"

My own smile slipped a little. Would a priestess mind being in the presence of a kind-of half-demon?

Kikyo noticed my discomfort. "I don't mind," she said, as if directly answering my thoughts.

I swallowed. "Um… well, I'm kind of…"

"A demon?"

A shook my head. "Half."

Kikyo frowned slightly; I almost didn't notice, since she smiled almost immediately after. "Ah, I see. Would you, then, mind my asking how a half-demon such as yourself came to be in possession of this?"

I gasped as Kikyo dug in her kimono, and drew out Kokuei.

"How – how did you-?"

"I think you have kind some kind of mistake, Aoi-san," Kikyo said. I noticed that her voice had suddenly become cold. "You should not be in possession of this gem."

"B-but – that's my-"

"It is _not_ yours," Kikyo interrupted. She got to her feet, taking Kokuei with her. I stayed on the ground, staring up at her with wide eyes. "I don't know how _you _managed to make it whole again, but the Shikon no Tama belongs to me."

My eyes almost bugged out. "What? That's not the Shikon no Tama, that's-"

"Silence!"

I almost gagged as three soul gatherers suddenly whipped into existence; they wrapped their long, seemingly delicate but hard as rock bodies around my torso. I tried to swallow the abrupt nausea that was trying to overwhelm me, and glared at Kikyo.

"What are you doing?!"

"How could you have done this?" Kikyo yelled; she seemed like a completely different person from before. She was _pissed_. "How could you have corrupted the Jewel so completely that even _I _cannot purify it?!"


	28. Chapter 27

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 28

Outside the barrier, Inuyasha

I landed lightly on a branch and stared at the blue-ish exterior of the barrier, my nose twitching as I tried to sense whatever was inside. That there was no change at all meant that Miroku's sutras and chants weren't working in the slightest.

Starting to get impatient, I turned to the general area in which I'd left the others, my brow more furrowed than usual.

"Oi! Miroku!" I yelled. "There's no change at all! Is that stuff you're doing actually gonna work?"

I strained my ears, waiting for a reply; they either hadn't heard me, or weren't bothering to yell back to me. I sighed, annoyed, and looked at the barrier again, waiting for something to change.

A soul gatherer had appeared.

In the short time I hadn't been looking, a lone soul gatherer had sprung into existence and was hovering a few hundred feet away from me, right outside the barrier.

As I watched, it flicked its tail at me, like it was _beckoning_ me. My frown deepened further as the soul gatherer turned, and passed easily through the barrier like it wasn't even there. It turned back to me on the other side, looking a little hazy, and beckoned again.

So the barrier _was _Kikyo's. I'd suspected as much, though why Kikyo would erect such an immense barrier like this when one of our companions was missing was a mystery to me.

I glanced back at the others; I quickly decided it was no use worrying them with the information.

I sprung at the barrier, and passed through as easily as the soul gatherer, landing softly on another branch on the other side.

My nose was immediately filled with Blue-girl's scent.

Aoi

I squeaked involuntarily as Kikyo's soul gatherers forced me to my knees. I was still holding back the waves of nausea the creatures seemed to be causing me to feel, making it difficult to concentrate.

"Kikyo-san – wait – you're making a mistake-"

"Quiet!" Kikyo snapped. She crouched in front of me, so close that we were almost nose-to-nose. She apparently didn't know how close I was to retching. "Tell me how you did this! I have never seen the Jewel become so corrupt; I don't understand how someone like _you _could have gotten your hands on it, let alone allow it to become this way!"

I stared at her pleadingly. "Kikyo-san, I'm trying to tell you – that _isn't _the Sacred Jewel!"

Kikyo glared at me for a moment longer, then got to her feet with an annoyed sigh. "Suit yourself. If you won't tell me of your own accord, I have other ways of making you reveal your secrets."

"Kikyo-san!" I pressed; the priestess turned away from me. "Just listen to me! That isn't the Shikon no Tama – that's the _Kokuei _no-"

I was cut off as the soul gatherers that bound me suddenly lifted me clean off my feet and slammed me against the y-bend tree. Two more wove their way through the nearby trees, carrying glowing, pale orbs toward Kikyo.

The presence of five of the creatures proved too much. I gagged once, then my stomach emptied itself.

Kikyo glanced at me with a look of concern – that surprised me. "What's wrong with you?"

I coughed. "I – I don't know-"

"Kikyo!"

Both of us jumped when we heard the voice of someone I had _not_ expected.

My head jerked up. "Inuyasha-san?!"

Inuyasha landed heavily a few meters in front of me. He glanced me over as he straightened up from the couch he'd landed in. "You alright? You look terrible."

I tried to answer, but Kikyo cut me off.

"Inuyasha," she barked. Inuyasha jumped, and looked at her with a startled expression, as if he hadn't expected Kikyo to be so forward. "What is the meaning of this?"

Kikyo held up Kokuei with her forefinger and thumb. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, so _you_ had it? I thought we'd have to track down some crazy demon, or something."

"How could it have become like this?" Kikyo demanded. She stepped a few paces in Inuyasha's direction, brandishing Kokuei as she went. "How could the girl have corrupted it so?"

Inuyasha blinked. "Huh? You've seen that thing before?"

It was Kikyo's turn to look confused; the expression only lasted for a moment, though, as her frown returned. "Of _course _I know what this is, Inuyasha! What's the matter with you?"

"Kikyo-san!" I interrupted.

"Be quiet!" Kikyo snarled in reply.

One of the two hovering soul gatherers came toward me, apparently about to be used as a gag. I shrank away from it. "Wait! Just hear me out!"

"Listen to her, Kikyo!" Inuyasha snapped. Kikyo looked at him with surprise. "I think you're making a mistake about that gem."

Kikyo hesitated; Inuyasha had said almost exactly the same thing as I'd been saying. She seemed to relax slightly, and glanced at me edgily.

"Alright, then," Kikyo said, her voice returning to what I assumed was its normal tone. "Explain, Aoi-san."

"That jewel isn't the Shikon no Tama," I said again. "It's called Kokuei; others I've met have called it the Kokuei no Tama."

Kikyo frowned. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"I know you haven't," I said quickly. I decided to briefly explain the jewel's backstory, so that Kikyo wouldn't be as confused about it. Hopefully. "Kokuei disappeared from existence around a hundred years ago; it only came back to this world around two months ago."

Kikyo's frown deepened; she still didn't believe me. "Then explain to me why it so resembles the Sacred Jewel."

"I don't know," I admitted. I flinched as one of the soul gatherers not binding me to the tree swished past my head. "I know that Kokuei and the Sacred Jewel might be related though, and not just because they look the same."

"How do you know that?"

I glanced at Inuyasha; he nodded. "Kagome has a shard of the Sacred Jewel with her. When I told her about it and showed it to her, she took out her shard and held it close to Kokuei. They… didn't seem to like each other."

Kikyo didn't move for a long moment. Inuyasha and I glanced at each other again.

"… I believe you," Kikyo said at last. My eyes widened with surprise. "However, I cannot trust you with this jewel if you have allowed it to become so corrupt."

"No, no," I said quickly, "Kokuei has always been like that; I don't know if it's corrupted or whatever, but it's always been that purplish-black colour. It's been that way for – for millennia!"

Inuyasha looked at me with surprise. "How do you know that?"

"Ryuusai told me."

"Ah."

"Ryuusai?" Kikyo repeated. Her brow furrowed again. "I recognise that name."

"You do?" I asked with shock.

"No way," Inuyasha shook his head. He looked at Kikyo as he explained. "Ryuusai was way before your time – she died at least fifty years before you were even born." I frowned at that; Ryuusai had died _a hundred_ years ago, not fifty. I held my tongue, though.

Kikyo thought for a moment. "I didn't meet her myself; I only heard stories, from the village elders. They spoke of how she was driven to madness, and killed. I don't know much about her."

I nodded. "That about sums up what _anyone_ knew about her."

Kikyo looked at me, a worried expression on her face. I gasped as the soul gatherers binding me to the tree suddenly released me; I barely had time to catch my weight.

"Aoi-san," she said forlornly. I looked at her. "Though I do not know how this Kokuei no Tama became so corrupt, I must warn you. A jewel like this will not be a friend to you."

I nodded. "I know."

Kikyo raised an eyebrow. "You _know_?"

"Kokuei was the thing that drove Ryuusai mad," I explained.

Kikyo's dark-brown eyes darkened further. "Then you must be exceedingly careful. If you are not, then it will undoubtedly destroy you."

There was a pregnant pause for a moment. Then a thought occurred to me.

"By the way," I blurted, barely realising that I was basically shunting Kikyo's concern aside. "How do you know each other?"

Inuyasha and Kikyo blinked, and glanced at each other. "Well…"

"Aoi!"

I jumped as I heard Kagome's voice; I noticed that Kikyo stiffened slightly. I looked to my right to see my cousin drop her rucksack and weapons, and ran at me.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Kagome babbled; she wrapped me in an excruciatingly tight hug, but before I could gasp that I couldn't breathe, she'd released me. She was looking at Kikyo and Inuyasha. "Oh."

Another silence permeated the group. I looked between the three of them, all of whom displayed varying levels of awkwardness.

**xXxX**

Hey, guys! Opalistic8 here - sorry for the lame cliff-hanger. Just wanted to let you know that I'm going back to school tomorrow - _nooooooo_ - and for us here in Australia, that means EXAMS.

Usually I wouldn't worry too much about exams and cram the night before, but these are my final exams to see whether I'm eligible to go to university or college. So they're kinda important. That being said, I might not be able to upload a chapter every day anymore. I'll try my best, but I really need to focus on my studies now. Trust me though, if I find time to, I'll upload a new chapter.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and hope you'll enjoy the chapters to come! I love all your faces! :D Don't forget to tell me about ideas you have for the story, I'm open to suggestions!


	29. Chapter 28

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 28

A few minutes earlier…

Outside the barrier, Kagome

"Oi, Miroku! There's no change at all! Is that stuff you're doing actually gonna work?"

Miroku, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and his hands folded around a string of sutra beads, twitched.

"Would someone please remind Inuyasha of the fact that I need to concentrate if the sutras are going to work?" He said calmly, one closed eye twitching with agitation. He huffed once and held the beads a little closer to his face; he resumed chanting quietly.

I glanced in the direction Inuyasha's shout had come from, and sighed. "I think he'll get the idea."

Kirara gave a low growl; Sango scratched her behind one ears. "What's the matter girl?"

Kirara's large nostrils flared for a moment, then she seemed to calm somewhat. Sango and I looked at each other with confusion, but shrugged off Kirara's moment of odd behaviour without further thought.

The group was silent for only a few more moments; Miroku sighed and opened his eyes, his brow furrowed with frustration.

"I can't break through it," he said quietly. He rolled the sutra beads into a ball and shoved them back into his pocket. He grabbed his sharp-headed staff as he continued. "Whoever cast this barrier has very strong spiritual powers."

I frowned. "Could this be Kikyo's barrier? She usually has one erected when she's resting, right?"

Miroku glanced at me. "Perhaps; it does seem somewhat familiar."

Sango looked back at the barrier. "If so, I doubt we'd find Aoi-san in there. I don't understand why Kikyo would go out of her way to hurt Aoi-san, then to bring her inside her barrier – it doesn't seem like something she would do."

"Yeah," I agreed hesitantly. I still had no idea if this really was Kikyo's barrier, or if Aoi was somewhere inside it; something in the back of my mind was telling me that we had to get _in_ there, though. I couldn't really explain it.

"If this _is _Kikyo's barrier," I began, taking a few steps toward it, "Maybe I'd be able to get through, without breaking it."

Miroku cocked his head. "What makes you think that, Kagome-sama?"

"I've been able to get through her barrier before, remember?" I pointed out. I took a few more stpes toward the bluish sheen the barrier produced. "Unless Kikyo's changed it in any way, I might still be able to get through."

"I suppose it's worth a try," Sango said fairly. I smiled at her.

Miroku hesitated, then sighed, defeated. "Alright; I'll resume attempting to break the barrier from this side if you manage to slip through."

"Okay," I agreed quickly. I took the few remaining steps to the very edge of the barrier, then reached out a hand to touch it.

My hand passed through the barrier like it wasn't even there.

I glanced back at the others. "If I don't find Kikyo or Aoi, I'll come straight back."

"Be careful, Kagome-chan," Sango told me; Kirara roared softly.

I nodded, turned, and stepped completely through the barrier.

Though I didn't feel any different on the other side of the barrier, I decided that I should be extra careful. Though I was now sure that the barrier was Kikyo's, that didn't mean that I should let my guard down by any means. I wouldn't soon forget how Kikyo had once tried to kill me, and once when she'd tried to drag Inuyasha into hell with her.

I readjusted my rucksack, bow and arrows on my shoulders, and started a light run toward the center of the barrier.

Aoi

I glanced between Kikyo, Inuyasha and Kagome as the three's awkward silence persisted. I gulped.

"Um… I think I've missed something again."

Kagome blinked, and seemed to snap out of her sudden stupor. She cleared her throat, and turned back to me. "Well, uh – I guess that means that you've met Kikyo, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed, still glancing suspiciously between the trio. "But… who is it exactly that I've just met, cousin?"

Kagome blinked at the way I'd addressed her; I usually wasn't a very sarcastic person. "Oh – this is the woman we've been looking for. My preincarnation."

I frowned. "Eh? But I thought you said she was already dea-"

I broke off abruptly, and glanced at Kikyo. If the woman really _was _Kagome's preincarnation, telling her that she was going to die probably wasn't a very good idea.

"Dead, yeah," Kagome finished non-chalantly. I stared at her.

"To what," Kikyo said quietly; Kagome and I looked back at her, "do I owe the pleasure of being visited by all of you? I'm sure you didn't search for me just to bid me, 'Good day'."

Kagome turned to face Kikyo fully, looking very serious. "We have a favour to ask."

Kikyo raised an eyebrow, and glanced at Inuyasha for some reason. "And what favour would that be?"

Kagome pushed me forward slightly. "This is my cousin, Aoi. She's someone's reincarnation, too."

"And?"

"Well, she… she has a jewel, something like the Shikon no Tama, only… different."

Kikyo held up Kokuei, which she was still holding lightly in one hand. "You mean this Kokuei no Tama?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "Y-yes – that exactly."

Kagome's eyes narrowed slightly. "Where did you get that? It was pried from the metal bracket I'd made for it."

"I took it," Kikyo said calmly, "Because I thought it was the corrupted Sacred Jewel. The misunderstanding has already been set right."

Kagome paused for a moment, then nodded, still looking suspicious. "Okay. Well, that Kokuei no Tama isn't good for Aoi. It-"

"Um. Kagome?" I interrupted quietly. Kagome turned to look at me with surprise. "I already told her."

"Oh." Kagome turned back to Kikyo. "Well, then I guess I'll move on to the favour. I want you to seal Aoi's – um – preincarnation."

Kikyo frowned. "'Preincarnation?'"

"Um. Kagome?" I interrupted again. Kagome looked at me with a rather synical expression. "I _haven't _told her about Ryuusai. Not fully."

"Oh."

Kagome looked from me to Kikyo, then sighed. "Okay, Aoi; you explain."

I nodded, and looked at Kikyo. "I told you that Ryuusai is my preincarnation, but I didn't tell you that I can… I can still communicate with her, even though our souls are the same."

Kikyo's frown deepened, but she didn't comment. I decided that it was safe to continue.

"So, um, Kagome wants you to-"

I broke off as I realised what kagome had said. I turned to look at fully, my eyes wide. "Wait, _what_?"

Kagome glared down at me defiantly. "It isn't right that you can communicate with Ryuusai like you say you can. Besides, she's connected to Kokuei somehow – that jewel drove her insane! She's dangerous!"

"No, not _Ryuusai_!" I snapped in retaliation. Kagome looked stunned; I'd never once spoken to her like this. "Ryuusai is _helping_ me! It's Kokuei that's bad, Kokuei that ruins everything! You can't seal Ryuusai away, you _can't_!"

"If I may," Kikyo interrupted softly. I glanced at her. "You speak of the Kokuei no Tama as if it, too, has some kind of consciousness."

"It does," I replied steadily. "It seeks power, and it uses its wielders to get it. If a wielder is powerful enough to use it safely, it'll try to convince them to do stuff for it."

Kikyo looked incredibly troubled.

"But, Aoi," Kagome said reasonably. I looked back at her. "You can't keep Ryuusai, either; she's _dead_."

"But-" I began to retort.

"There is a charm that can seal resentful spirits," Kikyo interrupted coolly. Kagome and I both looked at her, startled. "With my spiritual power, I may be able to seal away the Kokuei no Tama's influence, leaving it as a simple jewel."

"Will it seal away its powers, too?" I asked immediately. Inuyasha glanced at me, but didn't say anything.

"No," Kikyo explained. "Only the presence that you say resides within it."

Inuyasha and Kagome didn't say anything, apparently allowing me to decide Kokuei's fate. I thought for a moment.

"Alright. Let's try it."


	30. Chapter 29

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 29

Aoi

Kikyo had me kneel in front of her, my hands laid flat against my thighs and my head tipped up toward her. Kikyo was standing directly in front of me, the soles of her travelling sandals nearly touching my knees.

"Are you certain that you wish to proceed with this, Aoi-san?" Kikyo asked me.

I nodded without saying anything. I was worried my voice would betray my fear.

Inuyasha and Kagome stood a little to the side, hovering beside the y-bend tree with worried expressions. I wasn't sure why Inuyasha looked so stressed, but Kagome had voiced her fears quite loudly a few moments before. Now she stood and watched along with the half-demon, defeated.

Kikyo stretched out her hands.

She touched my face with one hand, her forefinger and thumb resting gently on my cheek and forehead respectively. Her other hand held my left shoulder, as if to keep me from running away.

Without a word, Kikyo closed her eyes.

We waited for a few moments as Kikyo concentrated; I knew that she'd be able to feel my hammering heart through my shoulder, but hoped she wouldn't pull out at the last moment due to my unvoiced fears.

What happened afterward will stay with me to this day.

Kokuei, hanging around my neck in its mostly-restored metal bracket, shone a startlingly bright shade of ebony.

Inuyasha

"_AOI!_" Kagome shrieked; I grabbed both her shoulders before she could dash at Blue-girl. My eyes were wide with shock.

Blue-girl's stone had suddenly started shining blindingly; I almost hadn't seen what had happened next.

Blue-girl's eyes became those of Ryuusai, as did her scent.

"_NEVER!_" Ryuusai had shrieked.

Black bolts of electricity had shot out of the stone around Blue-girl's neck, and blasted Kikyo at least ten feet into the forest.

Almost as soon as Ryuusai had taken Blue-girl over, she was gone; Blue-girl's eyes closed, and she fell forward onto her face.

"Aoi!" Kagome screamed, struggling against my hands. "_Aoi!_"

"Kikyo!" I yelled, my eyes scanning the forest. "Kikyo, are you okay?"

"Let me _go_!"

Kagome wrenched free of my grip, and I let her go; Blue-girl didn't smell like Ryuusai anymore, so I thought it would safe enough for her. I ran to search for Kikyo as Kagome raced to her cousin's side.

Kagome

I felt tears stinging at my eyes as I reached Aoi. I reached out instinctively to help her up, but my hands hesitated just before they could touch her shoulders.

What had I just seen? Aoi… that hadn't been Aoi just now, had it? I couldn't comprehend why my sweet natured cousin would do something like that to Kikyo – I'd never seen my cousin use that kind of attack before, but I couldn't be sure if that really hadn't been Aoi.

She stirred slightly with a soft groan.

I hesitated again, my hands still hovering over my cousin's shoulders, but I selfishly decided against it. My hands closed into fists, and I slammed then into my lap.

"Aoi? Are you alright? Can you hear me?" I asked desperately.

Aoi's hands brought herself up. She glanced around groggily, though she looked more stunned than tired.

"Wha…?" She said quietly, contemplating her surroundings. Her eyes found mine, and they suddenly popped wide open, all grogginess gone. "Oh my, God – _Kikyo_!"

I stiffened as Aoi leapt to her high-sandalled feet.

Aoi _remembered_?

Aoi

I spotted Inuyasha squatting beside Kikyo as soon as I found my feet. I ran at them, my stomach burning with guilt and fear.

Inuyasha eyed me warily as I arrived at their sides, but didn't stop my approach.

Kikyo looked shaken, but as far as I could tell, she was otherwise unharmed. She looked at me with the same kind of suspicion as Inuyasha, though she also wore another expression I couldn't quite place. Was it… disapproval?

"Kikyo-san!" I gasped as I reached them. I remained standing; Inuyasha and Kikyo were crouching and sitting respectively. "Are you alright? Did it hurt you? I'm so sorry!"

Kikyo didn't immediately reply.

"That wasn't you," Inuyasha muttered. "S'okay."

"Why?"

All three of us looked at Kagome, who had slowly followed behind me. I started as I noticed her expression.

She looked even more suspicious than Inuyasha.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, suddenly worried. I took a step toward her, my hand outstretched to touch her shoulder.

Kagome shrank away from me.

"How can you remember?" She blurted.

I blinked, and let my hand fall back to my side. "How can I remember what?"

"Being possessed!" Kagome snapped. "You didn't remember being possessed by Ryuusai before! How did you know that Kikyo was hurt, without me telling you?"

I saw Inuyasha stiffen out of the corner of my eye; his hand immediately gripped the handle of Tetsusaiga.

"It wasn't Ryuusai," I reminded Kagome quietly, "It was Kokuei."

"I don't care _who _it was!" Kagome shouted. My eyes widened, but I didn't retort. "You shouldn't remember it! Why – how could you-"

Kagome was struggling to say what she wanted to, so Inuyasha filled in for her.

"Was it that Kokuei thing that attacked Kikyo," he growled menacingly. He stood as he slowly drew his sword. "Or was it _you_?"

I took a hesitant step backwards, away from all of them, my eyes wide. "_What_?"

I looked helplessly between Kagome (I realised now that she was deadly afraid of me), Inuyasha (he advanced on me when I didn't respond immediately), and Kikyo.

"Wait," Kikyo said; she grabbed the leg of Inuyasha's red kimono. Inuyasha glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, keeping me in sight. "It wasn't the girl that attacked me."

Kagome and Inuyasha stared at her.

Kikyo got to her feet; Inuyasha leapt to help her up.

She looked me straight in the eye, and I suddenly realised what the other expression on her face had been.

_Pity_.

"The girl wasn't the one that attacked me," Kikyo repeated. Her eyes slid down from mine to Kokuei, still dangling between my collarbones. "The consciousness residing within that jewel was, without doubt, the one that tried to kill me."

"Kill?" Kagome squeaked; apparently she hadn't realised just how terrible Kokuei's intentions had been.

Kikyo ignored her reincarnation, and continued. "The Kokuei no Tama's consciousness – Kokuei – knew what was happening to it, and it retaliated, using Aoi-san's body as a medium to do so. Aoi-san remembers what happened because the possession was not complete; Aoi-san could not fight it off because the possession was so sudden, and so brief."

Kagome glanced between Kikyo and I, apparently confused. "So – so it _wasn't _Aoi that tried to kill you?"

Kikyo glanced at her coolly. "That is what I explained, just now."

Kagome's face softened, and she looked at me guiltily. "I'm sorry, Aoi. I – I'm so sorry."

I smiled to reassure her, but didn't reply.

How had she lost faith in me so completely, so quickly?

Kagome shot Inuyasha a glare, and he immediately sheathed Tetsusaiga without another word.

Kikyo was looking at me again, the look of pity returning to her eyes. I glanced at her, a bit edgily. "What?"

Kikyo hesitated, but decided it was better to tell me than not.

"I… may have seen something I wasn't expecting," she told me quietly. Kagome edged closer, so that she could hear. "A vision. When I brushed the consciousness of Kokuei… I saw _something_."

"What did you see?" I asked. I didn't consider that the answer might be something I didn't want to hear.

Kikyo's eyes darkened. "Something I believe to be of the future. If so…"

Kikyo took a few steps toward me, completely unafraid. Her eyes looked deep into mine, and she rested a hand on my shoulder.

"I only hope, for your sake _and _your friends', that this future does not come true," Kikyo said mournfully.

With that, Kikyo released me. She stepped around me, and walked past me through the forest. I turned to watch her leave, my eyes wide.

My future?

Kikyo

None of them, not even Inuyasha, pursued me.

I sighed, and closed my eyes, my thoughts heavy.

One of my soul gatherers approached; I opened my eyes, and watched as it drew closer. I heard Aoi choke behind me, and Kagome asked in a childish squeak if she was alright.

It made sense to me now why the girl so resented the presence of my soul gatherers. They brought the souls of the dead. Of course she despised them.

The soul gatherer was joined by a few more, and they floated easily by my side as I continued to walk through the now-darkening forest.

The reincarnation of Ryuusai. The Kokuei no Tama. Everything made sense to me now.

I sighed, and looked up at the peach-coloured sky, barely visible through the thick leaves of the surrounding trees.

I could only pray that the things I had seen would not come true. The future was a difficult thing to change, and perhaps it _had _to play out as I had seen it. I hoped for Aoi's sake, more so than her friends', that they would take the path that would not lead to such unfortunate events.

**xXxX**

Hey guys! Opalistic8 here :)

Sorry for the long wait, I've been studying like a good girl! Or, rather, my mother has been _forcing_ me to study like a good girl. Ehehn.

Still, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and more will (hopefully) be coming soon! Don't forget to suggest possible fillers, characters, events, blah-di-blah-etceterra. The idea for 'sealing' came from **sangoscourage**, so thanks for letting me steal that idea :)

(Sorry I didn't end up using a pendant of some kind, I just thought that this was the best way to foreshadow the events of the story AND to show how powerful Kokuei is.)

Thanks for the continued support, everyone, and I'll see all your lovely faces later! :)

Also, wish me luck for my Theatre Studies performance exam this Monday! *nerves*


	31. Chapter 30

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 30

Kagome

I was ashamed of myself.

I thought I'd trusted my cousin completely and totally; I thought I could place my life in her hands, and hers in mine. I'd always, _always _believed that with all my heart.

But I'd stabbed her in the back, almost literally.

I glanced at Aoi now, straining to see her through the darkness of night that had quickly fallen around us.

She was leaping from branch-to-branch like Inuyasha; she had politely refused to ride on Kirara with Miroku, Sango and Shippou. She was a little way ahead of us; I couldn't see her face, or the expression it wore.

I unconsciously gripped Inuyasha's shoulders tighter, my hands shaking slightly; he glanced back at me as he jumped. "You okay?"

"Huh?" I tore my eyes away from Aoi's back and looked at Inuyasha. He looked worried. "Ah, yes – yeah, I'm fine." I smiled.

Inuyasha stared at me for a few moments. I blinked and looked away. "… mostly."

He sighed, and set his eyes back on the horizon. "I know how you're feeling Kagome, but you're worrying too much. Blue-girl won't take it to heart – you know what she's like."

I nodded slowly, but I didn't really agree with him.

I'd never done something like this to Aoi. _Never_. I'd almost allowed Inuyasha to attack her; if it weren't for Kikyo…

I gritted my teeth, waves of anger and guilt washing over me.

The cold night wasn't enough to cool the heat of my emotions.

Kaede's village, Inuyasha

The trip was, for the most part, silent.

Miroku, Sango and Shippou quietly debated amongst themselves why Blue-girl was suddenly in such a bad mood. Their guesses went everywhere from deluded fantasies to flashes of the truth, but I remained silent.

Blue-girl never looked back, and never distanced herself from the group more than a few feet; it was still enough to make it clear that she didn't want to talk to anyone.

Blue-girl stalked silently into the village without stopping when we arrived at its boundaries; we usually stopped for a moment to see if we'd forgotten anything and to discuss where and when we would meet next. Blue-girl completely ignored us.

"Ao-" Kagome started to call, but she cut herself off.

We watched Blue-girl's figure as she slowly but purposefully made her way to Kaede's hut, and slipped  
inside.

She didn't look back once.

"Kagome-chan," Sango said hesitantly. I saw Kagome turn toward the demon slayer out of the corner of my eye. "What happened to Aoi-san in the forest?"

Kagome hesitated, tried to speak, and stuttered to a halt before she could say anything. She glanced at me helplessly.

I turned away, toward the village. "Blue-girl got possessed by… by Kokuei. Not Ryuusai. By the stone itself."

"That can't be possible," Miroku argued immediately. "You have always said that Aoi-san's scent and appearance changed to that of Ryuusai."

"We've seen stuff like this before, haven't we?" I snapped. I glanced back at Miroku reproachfully. "Sounga; Tokijin; Dakki; swords with demonic powers so strong that they destroy and possess their wielders."

"Yes," Miroku agreed, "But what about _Ryuusai_?"

I hesitated, but continued; _I _didn't really care what Miroku said. This was Blue-girl's problem. "We told Kikyo about Blue-girl's apparent ability to communicate with Ryuusai, but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't deny that it was possible, though."

Miroku opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and closed it again.

"I'm going to see how Aoi-san is doing," Sango announced. She beckoned Kirara, who roared softly and transformed into her smaller self. The two swiftly made their way into the village without further delay.

"I'll inform Kaede-sama of our arrival," Miroku said quietly, apparently forgetting that Blue-girl had already entered the hag's hut long before. He and Shippou trotted to catch up with Kirara and Sango.

As soon as the others were out of earshot, Kagome turned to me. "I don't know what to do."

I glanced at her with shock; her voice sounded constricted, as if she were…

"What the-?! _Why are you crying_?!"

Kagome swiped at her eyes with frustration. "Because of what we _did_! I _let_ you pull a sword on Aoi! I just – I just _let _you!"

Still panicking slightly over her tears, I pushed my hands into the sleeves of my kimono and half-turned away from her, feeling flustered. "Are you an idiot? Blue-girl's someone we have to be constantly aware of. She should understand that!"

"Why?" Kagome pressed, tears still spilling from her eyes. "_Why _do we have to be constantly aware of her? She was – she was _totally _normal before she came to the Feudal Era! She was never possessed, or anything!"

"She's here now," I reminded her. "She's potent to possessions by Kokuei and she's the reincarnation of Ryuusai; she's got so much power that even Naraku was impressed. Any way you look at her, she's _dangerous_, whether she means to be or not!"

"Then maybe she should go back!" Kagome yelled. She didn't bother to wipe at her face anymore; she let the tears flow freely. "Maybe she should go back to her own time, then all of this would stop! Then she wouldn't be _dangerous _anymore!"

"That's actually what I came up here to discuss with you, cousin."

Kagome and I both whirled around, startled.

Neither of us had noticed Blue-girl's approach. That alarmed me.

Blue-girl's expression was deadly serious, quite unlike her usually happy-go-lucky get-up. Her eyes were narrowed slightly, and her brow was furrowed.

"I want to go home. Not just to the modern era; to Hokkaido."


	32. Chapter 31

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 31

Aoi

I'd decided; I didn't want to stay in the Feudal Era anymore.

I'd thought about it during the trip back to Kaede's village, thought of all the good things that had happened here – and realised that those few good things were far outweighed by the bad. I couldn't even _remember_ half of my time here, since I'd been knocked out and bleeding every other day.

I also had to take into account Kagome and Inuyasha's reactions to my remembering events that occurred during one of Kokuei's increasingly often and alarming possessions; I could have expected that kind of reaction from Inuyasha, but _Kagome_?

What I'd heard just now sealed my grim decision; my favourite cousin _wanted _me to leave? Then, I'd grant her wish.

"A-Aoi!" Kagome gasped. She turned to face me directly, swiping at her tears. "When – when did you get here?"

She was ignoring my statement. My eyes narrowed slightly, and I repeated myself. "I want to go home."

Kagome's mouth flapped open and closed for a moment as she tried to figure out what she was going to say. "You – you can't just – I mean, what about-? I mean, Aoi-"

"I've already decided that I'm leaving," I interrupted coolly. I crossed my arms. "I know where the well is; I just thought that I should let you know before I left."

Inuyasha glanced at me curiously, but didn't say anything. I resisted throwing him a glare; it wasn't in my nature.

"Aoi," Kagome said pleadingly. She padded over to me, her hand outstretched.

I noted grimly that she hesitated slightly before she placed her hand on my arm.

"Come on," she continued, her already large eyes growing puppy-like. "You don't _really _want to leave, do you? What happened today was just – just…"

I watched her as she struggled to find reasonable words to describe her actions.

"Point is, Blue-girl," Inuyasha growled defiantly; I looked at him with surprise. I hadn't expected him to speak against my decision. In fact, I'd thought he would be happy with it. "We can't just let you go back there. You're dangerous."

I frowned. "Well, once I'm gone, I'll be out of your hands, won't I?"

"That's the problem," Inuyasha huffed impatiently. "If Kokuei possessed you again, and you killed your family, what would you do?"

I blinked, my frown deepening. "Why would Kokuei take me over back there? It _never _did before I came here. Never, not once!"

"And yet you were able to discover those attacks of yours?" Inuyasha pointed out sceptically.

I opened my mouth to snap a retort, but paused. I thought for a moment.

He was _right_. Oh my God, I'd never even thought of it.

_How had I discovered my attacks?_

"I don't know if I'm just overthinking things," Inuyasha continued when I didn't respond, "But those attacks are the same purplish-black colour as Kokuei. Don't hold me to it, but I think it's thanks to Kokuei that you can do that stuff."

I stared at him, my eyes wide with shock. He was right. Fifteen years, and I'd never even given it a thought – Kokuei held mysterious powers and had the ability to possess those that became too dependent on it. I honestly couldn't remember how I'd come to discover Kuro Tsume, or Kage Ryuu Saberu, or any of my attacks.

_Could I have been possessed by Kokuei back in the modern era without my knowledge…?_

My head spun as I thought about these things; I felt physically ill. "Hang – hang on, a second – I need to lie down-"

It was too much. I noted with a flicker of chagrin that I was falling unconscious _again_.

Kagome

"Aoi!"

I caught my cousin before she could hit the ground, my eyes wide. I looked up at Inuyasha accusingly. "What did you _do_?!"

"Nothin', really," Inuyasha sniffed. He unfolded his arms, and walked toward us. "I just made her think about things she wasn't meant to think about."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Inuyasha grabbed Aoi and lifted her easily into his arms. I scrambled to my feet. "I was thinking about it on the way back here; Blue-girl never told us how she discovered the jewel and her sword, Ryuutsurugi."

I frowned, confused. "And?"

"Don'tcha think a person would remember somethin' like that?" Inuyasha explained. He began walking toward the village; I stepped into stride beside him, watching him as he explained his suspicions. "A huge sword like that isn't something you'd easily forget tugging out of your own arm."

"So you think that it was _Kokuei_ that brought out the sword, the first time?" I gasped.

"I don't know," Inuyasha admitted. "It was just some stuff I was thinking about. Besides, before, with Kikyo – the jewel glowed really brightly when it attacked her. The lightning that came out of it was the same colour as Blue-girl's sword attacks."

I nodded slowly, remembering. "But – but why did Aoi pass out like that?"

"She probably wasn't able to think about this stuff before," Inuyasha pondered. We slowed down slightly as we crossed the bridge in the middle of the village. "She probably thought her world was totally safe, that this stuff wouldn't happen to her anymore if she went back. I doubt Kokuei would want its cover blown, so she probably doesn't remember anything special about it back then."

"Cover?" I cocked my head to the side, confused.

"Blue-girl said that Kokuei is kind of like its own entity, right?" Inuyasha sighed, exasperated at my slowness. "She apparently has some kind of resistance to it, since she's Ryuusai's reincarnation, but Kokuei would still want to control its' wielder. If Blue-girl thought the stone was harmless, she'd trust it completely and give in to it easier."

"Oh," I said quietly.

We were silent as we continued on our way to Kaede's hut; my thoughts whirled about in my head.

Was Kokuei really so bent on controlling Aoi that it would make her forget things about her past? It almost didn't seem possible. How could such a small gem have such immense power?

I glanced at Aoi; Kokuei wasn't tied around her neck. She must have taken the choker off and shoved it in her pocket.

My cousin looked so young and innocent, cradled in Inuyasha's arms like that. I hated that so many bad things were happening to her.

"Ah – Kagome-chan!"

I glanced at Sango as she called my name; she had stepped out of Kaede's hut. She hurried over to Inuyasha and I as we walked to meet her.

"What happened to Aoi-san?" She asked immediately, her eyes wide. "I thought she'd gone for a walk somewhere when I didn't find her in the hut; I didn't look for her, since I thought she wanted some time to herself."

"She's okay," I explained quickly. "She just passed out again."

Sango raised an eyebrow. I could tell that she was thinking, _Again? _

"Guess we've just gotta wait 'till she wakes up," Inuyasha huffed. He walked past Sango and I and pushed through the thatched door, being none too gentle with Aoi as he went. I heard a soft thump as Inuyasha laid Aoi on the raised floorboards inside the hut.

Aoi

My mind felt like it was in tatters; something was tugging and pulling at me, nipping and scratching painfully at the edges of my psyche.

I vaguely remember seeing flashes of Ryuusai's face; at first, I felt elated to see her again – but her expression was wrong. Her smile was too big, her eyes too wide and wild; she looked manic. It took me a while to realise that this was her face when she was possessed by Kokuei. I wondered if this was what _I _looked like, when I was like that.

The painful nips and scratches intensified until I cried out; I wrenched my eyes open, and screamed to it to leave me alone.

It did so. As if pushed away by an inner force, the something disappeared, and I settled into a relatively restful sleep.

I heard something whispering at the edge of my mind, asking me, _begging _me, to let it be with me. I remember looking to that corner of my mind, but seeing nothing but shadows and darkness. I was afraid; I pushed it away, and it ceased to whisper.

Was I going crazy? I have no idea. Voices in my head weren't a good sign, but was it normal for someone who could speak to the woman from whom she was incarnated? Unable to answer such confusing questions in my state, I allowed my mind to wander, and grow silent.

**xXxX**

Hey, guys! Opalistic8 here.

Sorry if this was a confusing chapter - there were a lot of confusing topics, and I'm not sure if I explained very well. If you don't get it, just message me and I'll see if I can rewrite it.

Anyway, since it's now chapter 31 - yay! - I thought that it was about time I had a Japanese translator. If you already know the gist of all the words and terms I use, don't worry about reading the rest. Ah, before you go - I did my exam yesterday, and I think I did pretty well! :)

Hokay, Japanese-translator time-

**Kokuei** literally means _dark shadow_, but in my context it just means 'shadow'.

**Kokuei no Tama **follows this, with the phrase literally translating to _Jewel of Deep Shadows _but in context simply meaning 'Shadow Jewel', hence the title, _Secret of the Shadow Jewel_.

**Kage Houseki no Himitsu**, if you didn't already guess, is the Japanese equivalent of the story title, _Secret of the Shadow Jewel_. 'Kage' translates to 'shadow', but I chose 'kokuei' as the name for the jewel because it sounded cooler. 'Houseki' means 'jewel', and 'himitsu' means 'secret'. The 'no' is simply a conjunction, and basically means 'of' or 'of the'.

**Ryuu **is a simple word for 'dragon'. I join this with **tsurugi**, literally meaning 'sword', for Aoi and Ryuusai's sword. Not very creative naming, but oh well.

**Ryuusai **is a lot like Inuyasha, which is basically 'dog' with a nifty tag-on. '-sai' is a rather masculine tag-on, much like '-yasha'. It connotes toughness.

**Kage Ryuu Saberu** means exactly what it sounds like: 'Shadow Dragon Saber'. Not very creative again, but I don't know much Japanese; give me some credit.

**Kuro Tsume **uses 'kuro', which means 'black', and 'tsume', meaning 'claw'. It literally translates to 'Black Claw', but in context would probably be something like 'Dark Shadow Claw'.

**Kage Ryuu Piasu**; again, just as it sounds. 'Shadow Dragon Pierce'.

**Aoi **is one of my most creative names to date. Aoi's name translates simply to 'blue'. Now, whether this was creative naming on _my _part, or on her _parent's _part, can be debated later. (Remember that Aoi's hair is sky blue in colour. Heh.)

**-chan, -san, -sama. **All those things are known as honourifics, and are added onto the end of first- or surnames to show respect for the person one is addressing. **-chan **is what two girlfriends would use for each other, which is what Sango and Kagome use for each other. **-san **is more respectful, and roughly translates to 'Mr.' or 'Mrs/Miss'. **-sama **is what you would use for someone really important, which is why 'Sesshomaru-sama' translates to 'Lord Sesshomaru'. It doesn't usually crop up in normal conversation. Just for kicks, **-kun** is kind of like the male equivalent of -chan, though usually it's a girl talking to a boy and not two boys talking.

Uuuh... I think that's it, but if there's anything else you want translated, just let me know. I'll do my best to translate it for you.

Well, thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of this chapter, and I'll see your lovely faces later! :)


	33. Chapter 32

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 32

Aoi

"You really can't remember _anything_?"

I nodded, blinking with confusion. "I honestly don't remember doing any of the things you just said I did. You said I attacked… Kikyo, I think her name was?"

Inuyasha and Kagome glanced at each other, but my eyes were focused on Miroku and Sango as they interrogated me, and I dismissed it.

"You were threatening to go home to your world, Aoi-san," Sango tried to remind me, her pretty eyes staring at me worriedly. "Surely you wouldn't forget something like that."

My own eyes widened. "Seriously? I was threatening to go home? Why would I do something like that?"

I'd awoken from what had felt like a _long _slumber. The last thing that I remembered was Kagome taking off my bandages from my two weeks of recovering. I couldn't remember where I'd gotten the injuries from, though Miroku and Sango had told me I'd been possessed by…

"And who's this _Ryuusai_, by the way?" I asked.

Everyone in the hut stared at me. I stared back, deeply confused. "Guys?"

"Ryuusai." Inuyasha said. He didn't say anything else to try and jog my memory. "_Ryuusai_. C'mon, Blue-girl, you know who Ryuusai is!"

I shook my head, frowning. "I really don't."

"The dragon demon?" Shippou piped up. He looked at me with wide eyes, apparently trying to see if my face would give away any triggered memories. "Your preincarnation?"

"My what now?"

A stunned silence permeated the hut. I glanced between them, fidgeting uncomfortably. "Um… shouldn't we be going to find the Sacred Jewel shards? I feel fine now, so…"

"No way," Kagome snapped. I jumped away from her, alarmed at her sudden outburst. "You – you can't just _not remember_. You can't not remember Ryuusai, or Kikyo – what about Kokuei, do you remember Kokuei?"

"Huh?" I chirped. "Of course I remember Kokuei. That's one of the reasons you're letting me tag along with you, isn't it?"

Inuyasha cocked his head to one side. "Huh?"

I nodded, amazed that _they _didn't remember. "After we fought Naraku, I showed Kokuei to Kagome; she brought out her shard of the Sacred Jewel, and they reacted to each other."

"Yes, I remember that," Sango admitted. I nodded, and continued.

"So then Inuyasha said that we had to search for the shards of the pink jewel-"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember what I said," Inuyasha snapped.

"-and Kagome said that we had to figure out what the deal with Kokuei and the Sacred Jewel was."

Foreheads furrowed as they tried to remember. _I_ could remember it plain as day.

"I don't think I said something like that," Kagome announced.

"Huh? Of course you did," I said dismissively.

"No; I don't remember anything like that being said, either," Miroku agreed with Kagome. He frowned at me over the fire, where I sat across from him. "So, then. Why do you remember things that _we_ don't remember, and not remember things that we _do _remember?"

I blinked, then looked between everyone in the hut; they were all looking at me suspiciously.

"I dunno."

Inuyasha huffed, and got to his feet. He glanced at Kagome. "I need to talk to you. C'mon."

With that, he stalked out of the hut, Kagome hurrying after him. I watched them go without complaint, my head spinning as I tried to figure out what had happened to me.

Inuyasha

"It's Kokuei. It must've removed some of Blue-girl's memories."

Kagome's eyes widened. "What? No _way_! It can do that?!"

"Apparently," I growled. "I knew it; the stone's been modifying Blue-girl's memories her whole life, blocking out any that put it in a bad light."

Kagome looked like she was lost for words; she tried to speak a few times, but couldn't bring herself to say anything.

"Maybe Miroku will have something up his sleeve that'll restore Blue-girl's memories," I pondered out loud. Kagome nodded, still unable to speak.

"What's this about memories, Inuyasha-sama?"

I felt a sudden prick on my cheek; in a reflex-action, I smacked the side of my face and squashed the insect that had bitten me. I drew back my hand, and sure enough, there lay a flattened Myoga.

"Oh – hi, there."

"Greetings," Myoga wheezed back.

"What are you doing here, Myoga-jii-san?" Kagome cried happily.

Myoga took a moment to reinflate himself before he answered. "Oh, I was just in the neighbourhood, and I thought I would stop by and say hello-"

"When did you disappear, jii-jii?" I asked him accusingly. "I never noticed you slip off. Was it before or after Blue-girl got possessed by Ryuusai?"

Myoga bristled, and started chattering loudly and defensively. "D-don't you remember, Inuyasha-sama?! I was the one who told you all about Ryuusai! I stayed until the very end! I didn't even _choose _to leave, this time; you all left me in that clearing!"

Kagome and I thought for a long moment.

"Oh, yeah," Kagome suddenly remembered. She waved her had dismissively. "Sorry about that! I'll try not to forget you, next time!"

Myoga muttered darkly.

A sudden thought lit up in my mind. "Hey, jii-jii. You wouldn't happen to know of any way to restore a person's lost memories, would ya?"

Kagome's eyes lit up. "Oh! Oh, please say that you do, Myoga-jii-san!"

Myoga glanced between us for a moment, then folded his arms thoughtfully. "Restoring lost memories, hmm? That is a difficult request, Inuyasha-sama, but it all depends on _how _the memories were lost."

Kagome and I glanced at each other. "Uh – we're not really sure."

Myoga leapt around on my palm with frustration. "What?! How am I supposed to help anyone if they never tell me anything! Then they go and splat me later, anyway! Oh, woe, betide! Woe, betide!"

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped.

"Myoga-jii-san," Kagome interrupted, "We think that Aoi's memories were taken away by the thing that possesses her jewel, the Kokuei no Tama. We don't know if it was magic or a concussion or _what_, but is there any way that you can help her?"

Myoga thought for a long moment, crossing his arms again. "Hmm… again, this is a difficult request, but…"

"But?" I repeated.

"There's an ancient priestess-witch that specialises in curses of the mind," Myoga said slowly. "However, I'm not sure if she would know how to _restore_ memories; she may only know how to take them away."

"It's the only lead we've got," Kagome said desperately; she glanced at me as she said this. I hesitated, but nodded by approval.

**xXxX**

... I won't even try to apologise for how late this chapter is. Just know that I _am _sorry.

I'll try to update more often than this, I've just had a hard time preparing for exams - I've had the whole, "_Oh, my God, my future is ruined!_" panic attack, so I've been finding it hard to feel inspired or motivated to do anything. I'm really sorry! *bows*

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the ones to come, and I'm sorry if the quality of writing was worse than the usual; again, I haven't felt very motivated recently... -_-

Anyways, I love all your faces! See you all soon! :)


	34. Chapter 33

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 33

Aoi

I knew exactly where I was as soon as I awoke with a start. Well, not _exactly_ where I was – but I knew that I was in _big _trouble.

I was surrounded by a blackness so complete that for a moment I thought I'd been blinded; I gasped and stumbled to my feet, my arms reeling around me as my hands tried to find something solid to grasp.

A million questions whirled through my disoriented mind as soon as I was vertical. _Was Kagome alright? Was Inuyasha? What about Kikyo? Sesshomaru would be so worried about me… well, if he'd even noticed that I was missing._

Though I could remember the last moments of the battle before I'd suddenly blacked out clear as day, I had no idea how I'd gotten here – wherever _here _was. My arms still waving blindly at my sides, I screwed up my forehead and thought hard.

I vaguely remembered feeling an eerily familiar sensation before my mind went blank; it reminded me of something, something I knew I should remember, but couldn't quite get my memory to touch properly.

The reaching fingers of my left hand brushed the rough stone of what I guessed was the wall of a cave; I sank into it, using its apparent thickness as a kind of make-do shield against whatever horrors awaited me in the darkness.

The light flicked on with the suddenness of an electric bulb; though I immediately recognised this light and knew that it was ordinarily dim, it still startled and dazzled me as my eyes struggled to adjust from the darkness. I removed one hand from the safety of the wall to shield my eyes.

"She has awakened," the soft, haunting voice of Kanna reported eerily.

I blinked a few times as she spoke, my eyes thankfully getting used to the dim glow of Kanna's mirror quickly. I glared at her as soon as her small, seemingly delicate face came into focus.

"Where the hell am I?" I demanded as soon as the last syllable left the girl's lips. "What did you do? Where are Kagome and the others?"

The girl didn't reply; the tiniest hint of a smile crept across her thin mouth – the expression was intensely creepy.

Her smirk was accompanied by a low chuckle from the darkness somewhere behind her. A cold thrill of dread shivered down my spine; I would recognise that voice anywhere.

_Naraku_.

"I'm glad that you seem to have adjusted well," the smooth voice of my oldest enemy said in his usual cool, greasy fashion. "Allow me to assure you that bringing you here was most difficult on my and Kanna's part."

I glared. "What did you do to Kagura?"

"Nothing you need worry yourself about, my dear," Naraku crooned; I shivered. "Now, I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this chat rather short. I believe you're thoroughly familiar with this fine jewel?"

Though I couldn't see Naraku's body in the blackness, I recognised his hand as he held out the gem that I would, regretfully, recognise anywhere.

"_You_?" I felt stunned. I knew I should have seen it coming, but _man_. "_You're _the one that stole Kokuei?"

I could almost see the evil grin spread across Naraku's face. "Indeed. Take the Kokuei no Tama, Aoi-san, and become who you were meant to be."

I stared at the jewel; it looked completely black in the dim, ghostly light of Kanna's mirror. I could hear the snide voice calling to me, begging me to reach out and touch it…

"No," I snapped. I shook my head vigorously and took a step back. "_Never_."

"Such a shame," Naraku sighed; his concern almost sounded sincere. "And here I was hoping that after all we'd been through together, Aoi-san, you would simply accept your destiny as we had discussed it."

He was too fast. He'd always been too fast – he could always sneak up behind me, and he knew it. I wasn't really surprised, then, when his hand vanished and reappeared on my shoulder a moment later.

"You're going to regret this," I snarled; I tried to pull away from him, but even with my demonic strength, it did no good. "I swear, when my friends come to find me, you'll be _toast_!"

"I look forward to it," Naraku murmured in my ear. This time I _could_ see the evil smile spread wide across his face as he pressed Kokuei against my neck, and as my tortured screams shattered the near-silence of the darker-than-night cave.

_3 months earlier…_

"So this priestess, Oboe, will help me to restore my memories?" I asked sceptically for the hundredth time.

Kagome glanced wearily over her shoulder at me.

"_Yes_," she confirmed for the _two _hundredth time. She glanced at Myoga. "Are you sure you knew where we're going?"

"Of _course_!" The old flea reassured for the _three _hundredth time. "Stop asking me that! I know where I'm going, and we are most _definitely _not lost forever in this apparently never-ending swamp!"

The swamp we were trudging through did, indeed, seem to be never-ending. It was humid and our clothes stuck to our skin unpleasantly, and Kagome's hair had become bushy and tangled in the wet heat. Kirara had long ago given up on walking beside us, and now sat nestled on Sango's shoulder. Shippou had his arms wrapped around my neck in a forced piggy-back ride; the rest of us walked, mostly without complaint.

"What kind of priestess would hide out in a place like this?" I muttered darkly as I swatted at yet another giant mosquito.

"The kind that will hopefully be able to cure whatever darkness has been plaguing your mind as of late, Aoi-san," Miroku reminded me soberly. I always felt weirded out when Miroku suddenly became serious like that – it was usually at times like this that he started grabbing butts.

"Anyway," Inuyasha interrupted tersely, "We're not gonna find this chick any faster if we keep jabbering all day, so would you all just shut up and walk?"

We complied, mainly because we were all too tired to argue with him. I secretly hoped that this Oboe woman would have the decency of letting us stay at her place for a night while we recovered from hiking through her ridiculous, creepy swamp.

**xXxX**

N-Now, now - you don't have to pull that shotgun on me - I'll be a good writer and post more chapters, more frequently - please, spare me! *bows at your feet*

-ehem- Seriously though, I am SO sorry about the, oh, three _freaking _months in which I didn't post anything. My initial reason was because of studying for exams - which went well, by the way :) - then after that I just kept putting it off and putting it off until I realised how long it had been since I last updated. (Also due to the surprising amount of readers who sent me encouraging-hate-mail ordering me to get off my ass and post another chapter. So, uh, thanks for that. I think.)

Seriously though, I've obviously been thinking about how things are going to play out around here, and as of next chapter, the next story arc will begin. I thank you all for your patience and beg your forgiveness again - I guarantee that the next chapter will be a good one. :)

And now, for more excuses for my tardiness if the next chapter _does _happen to be late~

I'm starting university on Monday, and after that it's a straight three-month sememster until mid-semester break, during which I'll have a _whole _two months off. What's the excuse part? Well, I'm taking mostly writing and acting courses, all of which are very homework-y and time consuming, what with book reports, creative writing assignments and essays. So I _will _try to update, but I have a bad track record for lacking motivation for long periods of time - apparently months, now.

Anyway, enough of my life story - I _am _sorry for the huge wait, and I promise that I won't make you wait this long again. I love all your faces! _Adios_!


	35. Chapter 34

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 34

_Deep in the swamp _

A light fog was rising from the warm waters of the muddy swamp in the heat of the late afternoon sun. It cast a ghostly gloom over the area, and made the sun look like an ominous, glowing orb, red as blood, hanging lazily over the western horizon.

Though most of the surrounding swamplands teemed with the sounds of insects, reptiles and snakes as they busied themselves with their evening activities, one small shrine at the very centre of the bog echoed with an unnatural silence.

The shrine floated in the middle of a muddy, shallow lake, surrounded by trees and grasses that seemed devoid of life and sound. The tiny structure could hardly be described as a shrine, at all; a box about the size of a small dog stood in the centre of a wooden platform, raised from the waters of the swamp on four thick poles.

A relatively large fire was burning before the shrine box, its heat barely felt by the pale woman sitting across from it.

The woman gazed into the flames for a moment, her thoughts heavy. After a few moments, she suddenly whipped out her left hand – the hiss of something like sand sounded through the flames, which roared even higher and glowed a sickly, unnatural green.

The woman didn't react at all to the strange flames; her right hand smoothly picked up a branch of leaves lying at her side, and caressed it with her left. Her eyes narrowed, but didn't stray from the green flames for even a moment as she started to chant.

"Furui monoto atarashi i kamigami ga watashi nosasayakana inori wo kii te."

The woman waved the branch slowly through the flames; the fire didn't catch, but that was what she had intended. She laid the branch back at her side, and drew out some locks of hair from her sleeve as she continued.

"Tsuma to musume nokono otoko no kioku wo sakujo shimasu."

As she spoke, she threw the locks one by one into the flames; the coals hissed and sparked, and a different colour flared for a moment before the flames settled back to green.

The woman picked up the branch again, and waved it through the flames once more. This time the branch did catch, and its flames sparked blood red; the woman threw it into the fire.

"Ware ware ha karera no sa bisu notameni kami ni kanshashi masu."

The flames returned to their normal orange colour, and died down almost to embers.

Satisfied, the woman rose to her feet, turned away from the fire, and looked out over the swamp.

Hopefully her customer would be satisfied with the outcome; not that he would remember making the bargain. He had given a priceless possession, an ancient comb said to have been blessed by Amaterasu herself, in exchange for his memories of his dead wife and daughter to be removed.

The woman's eyes were dark as she regarded her silent portion of swamp. Even as the gods blessed mankind with their sympathy and gave her the power to take memories way, they also granted her the power to see into the future. The woman wasn't looking forward to the visit she would soon have, and knew that those who sought her would be disappointed by what they found.

_Aoi _

I huffed loudly and came to an abrupt halt. Shippou yelped and scrabbled at my neck, trying desperately not to get thrown off; he'd taken a nap and had been snoring noisily in my ear for the last half hour.

"Come _on_," I whined, throwing my arms into the air in frustration. "We're _never _gonna find Oboe! And even if we do, who says that I _want _my stupid memories back? They don't exactly sound like the biggest bundle of joy, from where I'm standing!"

Inuyasha huffed loudly in much the same way I had, and turned to glare at me; I'd brought the whole party to a stand-still. "You know, I'm getting really sick of you, kid. You do realise that we've come all this way for _you_, right?"

I put my hands on my hips defiantly. "Oh, really? Well how about you put your unfathomable generosity on hold and we go look for the shards of the Sacred Jewel? What with Naraku showing up so often these days, that _should _be our top priority, shouldn't it?"

Inuyasha started to march over to me, probably to stand nose-to-nose and shout in my face, but Kagome grabbed his arm. "Of _course _that should be our top priority! So wouldja just _shut up _and do what we say when we're actually trying to help you, ya brat?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said warningly. I recognised that tone; she was one snap away from sending Inuyasha careening face-first into the muddy swamp floor.

"Aoi-san, please try to understand," Miroku began fairly. I could barely keep myself from rolling my eyes. "This isn't how you used to be; I don't know whether it's Kokuei or Ryuusai, but some_one _or some_thing _is trying to make you forget about the dangers you've learned. You need to regain that knowledge quickly, or you could get hurt."

"He's right," Sango agreed. She put a hand on my shoulder. "I don't mean to be rude, but you were a lot… _nicer _before your memories were taken away." I knew she meant _smarter_, or _better_, and I decided to ignore her subtle jibe.

"Look," I began hotly, shrugging off Sango's hand, "I don't _want _the memories back! Why can't you people just understand that?"

"Why?" Inuyasha snapped. His tone almost sounded accusing. "_Why _don't you want the memories back?"

"Because you guys are saying that I was getting hurt all the time!" I snapped back. "I don't remember getting torn up by Wind Scar or attacking anybody – well, except Naraku, but he's _Naraku_ – and I don't really wanna remember anything like that! I'm find with phoney memories, if that's what they really are!"

"You don't mean that," Kagome reprimanded gently. She let go of Inuyasha and walked over to me instead. "I know you; you've always _hated _being out of the loop about things. You want to know what's going on too, don't you?"

Damnit. My cousin knew me well. I tried to hide my curiosity from my expression, but I knew I was doing a poor job.

"The only way we're gonna find out why all this is happening is to find the priestess," Shippou pointed out to me from my back.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, then around at my comrades. I sighed, temporarily defeated. "Whatever. If I have a mental break-down because of this, I'm blaming all of you."

"Inuyasha-sama!"

We all glanced at Myoga; I hadn't noticed that he'd left. He bounded over to us using what dry land he could find between the muddy bogs of the swamp. He jumped up and down with excitement at our feet when he reached us.

"I found her!" He squeaked excitedly. "Priestess Oboe is just through there; I saw her shrine not a moment ago!"

Inuyasha peered through the trees as a soft fog started to blur the distant trees. "You sure, jii-jii? It's starting to get dark; I don't wanna get lost in here. It'd be hell to get back out."

I could almost see the angry vein popping on Myoga's forehead. "Of _course_! Why doesn't anyone ever believe me? I do everything for you people, and all you do is step on me and squish me! Oh, woe betide, woe betide~!"

"Oh, shut _up_!" Inuyasha snarled; he placed a perfectly timed kick against the old flea's agitated bouncing body, and sent him flying through the swamp toward where Oboe lay waiting for us.

**xXxX **

Not bad, eh? Not bad timing? I told you I'd get better :)

Anyways, here's a translation of that 'chant' Oboe was doing. It's not an actual chant, obviously, but I don't know how Shinto chants work and I highly doubt they have a pre-scripted memory curse written anywhere recent.

'The gods old and new hear my humble prayer.

Remove this man's memories of his wife and daughter.

We thank the gods for their service.'

Yeah, pretty simple, but whatever.

I love all your faces! See you next time!


	36. Chapter 35

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 35

_Aoi_

Oboe, it seemed, had been waiting for us.

The mist thickened as we followed Myoga through the darkening swamp, our eyes swivelling about us as we watched for snakes and other dangers crawling through the mud. I was the first to spot the shallow lake, though Inuyasha had muttered a few moments earlier that the place was too quiet for his liking.

I'd never seen a shrine like it, if you could even call it that. A wooden boardwalk had been raised above the murky waters on four thick stilts, each looking as though it had once been the trunk of an ancient oak tree. A short, rickety pile of stairs connected the swamp to the raised platform, and the whole thing almost looked as if it were floating on the surface of the lake.

The woman standing atop the structure was the most striking figure I'd ever seen – or, that I remembered seeing, anyway. The robes she wore looked like those of a typical Shinto priestess, though the colours were purple and black instead of red and white. I guessed that probably had something to do with her priestess-slash-witch status.

Her hair was darker even than Kagome's, and so long that it reached the backs of her ankles. It was free-flowing, not tied in the usual Shinto ponytail, nor held back by clips or bands.

Though she must have been at least fifty meters away from us, my demon eyes could easily see her facial features; her eyes were dark blue, the colour of the Atlantic ocean and just as stormy. They were slanted in a way that reminded me of a snake or a cat, though her pupils were that of a normal human.

The rest of her features were stunningly beautiful. I guessed that she was probably twenty years old, though with the way Myoga talked about her, I knew that she must have been much older. If angels existed, I believed that this was the face they would want to have.

I stopped in my tracks as soon as I caught sight of her and her shrine, my mouth falling open. The others stopped too; Miroku and Kagome looked as though they were bracing for trouble, but Sango and Inuyasha saw what I'd seen immediately after I had. Myoga jumped up and down.

"We're here!" He announced excitedly. "You see? I told you I'd get you here, didn't I? And, here she is!"

Kagome squinted at the floating shrine, frowning. "This is it? I thought you said Oboe was in a shrine, Myoga-jii-san."

"There is a shrine," I commented. I pointed toward the miniscule bump in the centre of the boardwalk. "It's tiny, but it's there."

"Well, let's get this over with, then," Inuyasha said gruffly. He took a step forward into the shallow lake.

And instantly sank through to his knee.

"_Inuyasha_!" Kagome squealed; she and Sango grabbed both Inuyasha's arms as the latter swore loudly.

"What the hell-?!"

Inuyasha's leg was freed surprisingly quickly, sliding out of the muck with a comical squish; all three stumbled backwards into me, and we all fell sprawling into the mud at the lake's edge.

"Watch it!" I squawked, far too late. I struggled to untwist my legs from Sango's as Inuyasha leapt back to his feet, one of his legs covered in slime.

"_Hey_!" Inuyasha roared at Oboe, who hadn't moved at all in the few seconds of trouble we'd experienced. "What's the big idea?! Are you tryin' ta kill us?!"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said warningly, holding out a hand to hold the half-demon back.

Sango helped me to my feet when we'd found our legs again.

"Calm down," she told Inuyasha. "I'm sure this is some kind of test, to see if we _really_ want to see her."

"Well I _don't _really wanna see her!" Inuyasha snapped. I pointed a clawed finger at me accusingly. "We're only here for _her_! Why should I risk my skin just to get her stupid memories back?"

"It was your idea!" Kagome snapped in return.

"Yeah, that was before I realised what a little _brat _your damned cousin is, Kagome!"

"It's not her fault! You know she wasn't like this a few days ago, it's all Kokuei's fault that she-"

"_Hey_!" I yelled.

Inuyasha and Kagome both whirled around to glare at me at exactly the same time. "_Shut up_!" They yelled in unison. I quietened, feeling highly offended, but Miroku thankfully continued reporting what I'd been trying to tell them.

"Oboe's gone."

Inuyasha and Kagome jumped, and turned again to stare at the floating shrine.

The shrine was still there, but the woman was not.

In the short time that our attention had been on the bickering of Inuyasha, Oboe had completely disappeared. It was as if she'd been swallowed up by the mist.

"Oooooh!" Shippou, still somehow latched around my neck, fretted. "What do we do now? What if we get lost in here forever? Or what if Oboe was some demon and she's hunting us _right now_?!"

"Shut up," Inuyasha huffed; I winced as he brought down his fist on Shippou's head, thinking for a moment that the blow had been meant for me.

The fox demon fell to the ground with a wet splat. He rubbed his head with angry tears in his eyes. "But _what if_? Why would that Oboe lady go away, she's supposed to be helping Aoi-nee-chan!"

There was a split moment of silence as we all looked back at the floating shrine, as if to make sure that the woman really _was _gone.

"Perhaps so that she could save you the trouble of swimming through a ring of treacherous quicksand."

I yelped and leapt away from the voice that seemed to have sounded from right by my ear. Everyone else spun around with alarm to look at Oboe, who had materialised a few paces behind me (I'd been at the back of the group).

"What – how-" Kagome spluttered.

"It matters not _how_," Oboe interrupted calmly. "Only that _you_ should have made a booking. I am, surprisingly enough, a rather busy person."

I decided immediately that I liked Oboe. Her dry sense of humour was something I could get used to.

"There was no time, Milady Oboe," Myoga chirped from our feet. He leapt over to Oboe so that they could see each other better. "This is an emergency that only you can be entrusted with!"

"I know," Oboe replied dryly. "I _can _see the future, in case you'd forgotten, jii-jii."

Inuyasha smirked. I could tell that despite his blustering, he liked Oboe too.

"In that case," Miroku said, taking a step forward. "If you truly are able to see into the future, are you able to tell us if you can help our friend, Aoi-san?"

The others perked up, but I averted my gaze. I still wasn't at all sure of whether I even _wanted _my true memories back. But we _had _come all this way, so I supposed I had to at least humour my friends for a while before I tried to chicken out again.

Oboe looked everyone, including me, in the eye before she continued. "While it is within my ability, I refuse to restore Higurashi Aoi's memories to their original state."


	37. Chapter 36

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 36

_Inuyasha_

"Wh-what?" Kagome spluttered. "What do you mean, you refuse?"

The priestess eyed Kagome wearily. "The girl herself does not wish to have her memories restored; I see no reason for you to argue."

"Hey," I growled; I liked her dry sense of humour, but this was too much. "Do you have _any_ idea how far we've travelled so that you could restore Blue-girl's memories?"

"Yes," she said. She didn't elaborate, so I continued.

"So? You're gonna restore those damned memories!"

"Y'know, I'm really okay with not having them," Blue-girl commented. I shot her a glare that somehow managed shut her up, and turned back to the priestess.

"Go, on! Get the memories back, already!"

The woman fixed me with a steady stare; she didn't say anything until even _my_ skin was crawling from the intensity of her gaze.

"It is not that simple," she slowly – _finally_ – elaborated. "Even if I were to restore the lost memories, I cannot do a partial job – I would have to return _all _her memories."

"Yeah," I snapped. "That's kind of what we're here for."

The priestess shook her head, looking a little sad. "No. You wish for the memories she gained in _this _time – in the Feudal Era."

We all stared at her, stunned. I barely even understood what kind of world Kagome and Blue-girl had come from, and could only vaguely remember the details of time-travel and _eras_. How the hell did _this _chick know about their world?

"Well… yes," Kagome finally stammered.

The priestess turned her focus onto Kagome. "This is what you desire – however, memories have been tainted and removed for far longer than a few mere months. The girl's whole life is essentially a lie. Some memories are better left buried, unknown."

I glanced at Blue-girl to see how she was taking this. Her eyes were wide, her mouth hanging slightly ajar. At least she wasn't in a full-blown panic. _Yet_.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kagome repeated. She was trembling slightly, looking even more shocked than Blue-girl. "What – I don't understa-"

"Nor will you," the priestess interrupted firmly. She turned away from the group with a rustle of her robes, and started to stride slowly back into the swamp. "I will not return the girl's memories. Do what you will with my decision."

Her foot fell into the shallow lake; Miroku made a small noise of alarm and he stretched out a hand to pull her from the quicksand – but she didn't sink. We watched silently as the woman waded softly through the waters of the shallow lake, whatever mysterious powers she held keeping her from drowning in the muck.

Sango shook her head. "I suppose we won't get anything else from this place; we should leave or make camp before it gets darker."

"I say we make camp," Kagome said defiantly. She ripped her yellow rucksack from her shoulders and dumped it on a dry patch of ground near the edge of the lake. "We have to think of a way to convince Oboe to give Aoi back her memories."

"I agree," Miroku said seriously. "We must do all we can to ensure that Aoi-san returns to her normal state of mind."

Shippou tumbled over to Kagome's rucksack, pulling at the seals. "Nee-chan, Nee-chan! Can I have crisps? Puh-_leeeeease_?"

Kirara mewed and leapt from Sango's shoulder, trotting over to the raised roots of a tree to build a make-shift nest.

Deciding that we weren't going anywhere, I looked at Blue-girl again. I wasn't surprised to see the torn expression on her face. She really _didn_'_t _want those memories back. Now, I could hardly blame her; who knew what kinds of things Kokuei had kept hidden in her mind over the years?

_Later that night_

_Aoi_

I made sure that everyone was asleep before I left.

Miroku, Shippou and Kirara snored softly, and Sango and Kagome's breathing was soft and steady. I could never tell if Inuyasha was really asleep or just awake with his eyes closed, since he always leaned against a rock or a tree with his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. I carefully waved my hand in front of his face a few times before I moved away further, just to be sure he wouldn't catch me.

I knew that there was no chance the same miracle that had been bestowed upon Oboe earlier would happen to me; I stood at the edge of the seemingly shallow lake and deliberated how I was going to get across. Seeing no alternative other than the sleeping Kirara, who would almost certainly wake Sango when she figured out what I was doing (the two-tailed cat was incredibly smart, I'd figured out), I released the restrains I constantly held on my animal traits.

I winced when my shirt ripped loudly as my wing flew open; I glanced back at the group, but nobody had stirred. I glanced at the new claws on my fingers for only a moment before I stretched my wings wider.

I'd flown only a few times in my life; I wasn't very good at it, but I thought I should be able to flap my way over fifty meters. I swallowed, braced myself, then took a huge leap over the surface of the lake.

My wings fluttered uselessly for a moment, then took air just in the nick of time; my sandals skimmed the murky surface of the lake before my huge wings lifted me soundlessly into the air.

I was a fairly slow flier; it would have been much faster for me to have waded through the mud of the lake, but since it was really quicksand, that wasn't really much of an option, at all. I made it to the small shrine in a relatively short time, however; I folded my wings against my back as soon as I touched the wooden floor.

Oboe had been waiting for me. She'd been watching me from the moment I left the others, like she'd been expecting me to come. Now she stood with her hands pressed together, her stormy eyes dark.

"You should not have come," she told me in a low voice.

I smiled dryly. "I didn't really have much of a choice, did I?"

"You could have run," Oboe pointed out. "You could have let the others realise that there was no way to change my mind. You could have returned to Tokyo and become a singer."

"I could have," I agreed. I closed my eyes for a moment, and concentrated. My animal traits returned silently to their invisible places. "I've always known that my curiosity would be the death of me, though."

I opened my eyes at the same time Oboe closed hers. She looked highly troubled. "I do not recommend this, Higurashi Aoi. The memories will change you, and I fear not for the better."

"It's my choice, isn't it? I want the memories."

Oboe opened her eyes again with a frown. "There are only three paths for you if you do this; the first two are deadly, the third is near impossible and highly unlikely to occur."

"If that third one is happiness," I grinned, "Then count me in."

Oboe studied me for a long time. I started to worry that Inuyasha might awaken and notice I was missing, but I waited for her to finish her mental analysis.

"… very well. I will return your memories." My heart skipped a beat, though it was more from anxious nerves than from excitement. "But know that whatever consequences occur lay on _you_, and you alone."


	38. Chapter 37

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 37

_Aoi_

Oboe and I sat on either side of the fire, the tiny shrine on my left side overseeing the ritual.

Oboe hadn't explained what the ritual would entail; she'd simply yanked out a lock of my hair – I yelped in pain when she did – and told me to sit.

The priestess's eyes were closed; the roar of the flames almost prevented me from hearing what she was chanting.

"Furui monoto atarashi i kamigami ga watashi nosasayakana inori wo kii te."

She waved a branch of some kind of tree through the flames; my eyes widened slightly when they didn't catch. I could feel from here that the fire was incredibly hot – but then I remembered how powerful the woman sitting across from me was. They widened further when the flames roared and shone a sickly green.

"Onnanoko no osen sareta kioku wo fukugen shitekudasai."

I watched apprehensively as she threw my stolen lock of hair into the flames; they roared once more and flashed the sky-blue colour I instantly recognised as the colour of my hair, then they died down somewhat back to its sickly green colour.

"Ware ware ha karera no sa bisu notameni kami ni kanshashi masu."

Oboe threw the branch into the fire; it roared a final time, sparking a purplish-black colour that shockingly resembled Kokuei, then died down to embers in its natural orange colour.

Oboe and I stared at each other over the embers for a moment. I didn't feel any different.

Then my mind exploded.

**x**

_Cold. Dark. Pain. Silence. Silence except for a mewling wail that grates my ears. More pain. It's painful. Make it stop. Make it all stop. Stop the pain. I can't see. Where am I? Where has he gone? I'm alone. He's gone. They're all gone._

_Light. Far away, but light. I can see it. I reach out to it. It's too far away. I can't touch it. I can't feel it. It's cold. But it's light. Maybe they can hear me. Maybe they can see me. But aren't they gone? Where is he? Where am I?_

_A shape. It's black and big and menacing. It scares me. The wailing in my ears intensifies. I realise that it is my own screams. I'm screaming. Why am I screaming? I'm cold. It hurts. I'm hungry. I'm lonely. I'm scared. That's why I'm screaming. Is it going to hurt me? It reaches down to me. It touches me._

_Warm. Soft. I like it. What is it? I feel the hard pain behind me leave. Am I flying? I haven't flown in such a long time. Who is it? Is it him? Has he come back for me? My screams die down a little. My ears don't hurt anymore. The pain is leaving. But I'm hungry. I'm cold. I want more._

"Ichigo!" The man called back to his wife. "It's a baby!"

"What?" Ichigo squeaked. She glanced nervously around her before she entered the dark alley to join her husband. She stared down at the writhing creature with shock. "What's it doing here?"

"It's been abandoned," the man guessed sadly. He examined the tiny baby closer; it was wrapped tightly in a damp blanket that almost prevented it from moving at all. Its crying had died down a little, and it gazed up at him with wide eyes; they were bright green. "I think it's a foreigner's child."

"What do we do with it?" Ichigo asked dumbly.

He cast a sideways glance at his wife. "We _have _been trying for a baby, haven't we?"

"_Roku_!" Ichigo gasped. "We can't just pick up a random baby off the street and call it our own! We have to give it to a hospital, or to the police, or _something_!"

Roku ignored Ichigo, and pulled back the hood of the blanket so he could see the baby's face properly. He gasped loudly.

"What?" Ichigo squawked. "What is it?"

"Its – its _hair_," Roku stammered, shaking his head slightly. "It's… _blue_."

_Warm. Glowing. Happy. I'm happy. I haven't felt so happy in longer than I can remember. It's been so long… Why can't I remember? Who am I? My long hair whipping through the air as my great wings lift me to fantastic heights. My claws ripping through the skin and flesh of demons who want to hurt me. Kokuei. Kokuei? I don't like it. Why don't I like Kokuei anymore? Where am I? I'm happy, but why?_

"We _can't _keep her!" Ichigo whispered. Roku didn't know or care why his wife felt compelled to whisper around the new-born. It wasn't like she could understand them. "You heard what the nurse said! She's a freak! We _can't_-"

"Ichigo," Roku interrupted in a low voice. He put down the teaspoon he'd been hand-feeding the infant with to glare at his wife. "She's not a freak."

"But they said she-"

"I don't care what they said," Roku said with a finality that somehow managed to shut Ichigo up. "She's our daughter now, and you _will _act like a mother to her, do you understand me?"

_Bright lights. Too bright. It hurts. I try to tell them, but my mouth can't find the words. They poke and prod. They hurt. They shine brighter lights in my eyes, shove things in my ears, put cold things on my chest. I don't understand. I'm scared. They hurt. I hurt. I don't want this. I want to be happy again. I want to go _home_._

"You have no right to do this!" Roku shouted hoarsely at anyone who would listen; there weren't many. "She's my _daughter_. You can't just pull her away and tell me that I'm not allowed to see her! I _demand_ that you-"

A man in a tailored black suit pushed through a nearby door; Roku stopped shouting. He recognised the man. He had been the one that had pulled Aoi into the black van and driven away with her.

"_You_!" Roku screamed. He marched up to the black-suited man until he stood nose-to-nose with him; he vaguely registered that the receptionist called security, but he didn't care. "How _dare_ you take my daughter away from me! Give her back _now_, before I-"

"The child is in good hands," the man informed Roku in a monotone. "Her life is being dedicated to the advancement of science and human understanding. Is it not an honour?"

"_No_!" Roku yelled. "It is _not _an honour!"

"Regardless," the man smiled. "The girl was never registered as _your _daughter. We found no records of her true parents, no birth certificates, no adoptions. She is a nameless entity who is now under _our _jurisdiction."

"She's not _nameless_!" Roku shouted helplessly. One of his arms was grabbed roughly from behind, but he never saw the guard. He only had eyes for the black-suited man. "Her name is _Aoi_!"

The man's smile widened as they dragged Roku away. "Do you not find it strange that _Aoi _has never aged? She has been in your care for ten years, Roku-san, and still looks and behaves like an infant. Besides, haven't you ever wondered what happened to your wife, Ichigo? You'll be better off without the child, I assure you."

Roku's mouth flapped uselessly as he tried to argue, but for once, he could come up with nothing. He knew Aoi wasn't normal. He had no idea _what _she was, let alone _who_. But she was still his daughter, and he was still her father. Ichigo's death couldn't come between that.

**xXxX**

Translation for the Japanese:

'The gods old and new hear my humble prayer.

Please restore the tainted memories of this girl.

We thank the gods for their service.'

For full details on the whole ritual, go visit chapter 34 again :)

Also, just so you know, Aoi was probably found in around the 1960's. Oooooh~


	39. Chapter 38

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 38

_I don't like these people. I want to go home. What is home? It was never my true home. The people in white had told me as much. Daddy isn't my real daddy; they told me as much. I killed mommy; they'd told me as much. I'm a freak of nature; they'd told me as much. What's a daddy? What's a mommy? What's a freak? What's nature? I don't know anything, yet the people in white seem to think I know everything. I'm young. Yet I'm old. I'm free. Yet I'm captive. I wish I could fly, so I could escape. I _could _escape. But they would hurt me. They always hurt me. They hurt me so much…_

The specimen was slumped in her chair, her ankle-long hair matted and unwashed. Her scaled, pointed ears were drooped either in sorry or exhaustion, and her pronged wings were hanging uselessly by her sides, weighed down by huge hundred-kilogram salt bags. Her clawed hands were secured behind her back by a dirty off-white straight jacket.

The precautions were necessary. Three years ago, the specimen had attempted to escape. Screaming incoherently, she had slashed inexplicable purple projectiles at staff and sprinted for the exit she somehow remembered from all those years ago, having only been through it once. Only several tasers, salt rounds and rubber bullets had brought her to a stop, and even then she'd screamed like some kind of demon until she was knocked out with usually deadly amounts of chloroform.

After that event, the specimen had reverted to her normal state, bleary eyed and child-like. As if she'd forgotten everything. As if she were an infant once more.

These strange mental blocks occurred every few years. After especially traumatic experiments or after she'd simply seemed to have enough; she would collapse as if dead, and awaken a few hours later with no memory of anything after her adopted father, Roku, had been separated from her.

The black-suited man had long ago grown old. He'd watched with wonder as the specimen had slowly, _excruciatingly _slowly, grown from an infant to a girl of approximately fourteen years. All tests conducted showed that she had the psyche of a child of about three years, though her body, despite records showing it to be at least fifty years old, was that of a fourteen-year-old. The black-suited man felt like a kind of father to the specimen, though he only ever thought of her as that – as a specimen. She had no name. No identity. No rights. She wasn't human; she was a lab rat to be freely experimented upon.

All experiments had been a success; her blood was used in anti-aging cream, her claws in most modern hair dyes, and her skin in stitch string. Even the facility's more creative minds were struggling to find new experiments to perform on the specimen.

Except one.

"Takazuki-dono?"

The black-suited man turned away from the one-way window of the room that held the specimen, and looked down at a small woman whose name-tag said 'Ichigo'.

"Ah, Ichigo-san." Takazuki turned back to the specimen. "I've been expecting you."

"I'm terribly sorry for keeping you waiting," Ichigo stammered, bowing low before the black-suited man. "I was held up at the front desk."

Takazuki smiled, though he didn't take his eyes off the specimen. "They do tend to search people rather thoroughly. I trust you've prepared an equally thorough report?"

"Er, yes," the woman said. She reached into her handbag, roughly shuffling through the many papers within, before she pulled out a thick yellow file. "I hope you find it to your liking."

Takazuki took the file, and flicked through it as Ichigo continued. "I figured, since Ono-san said she was finished with her side of experiments and the medical staff said they were confident that the specimen was in good health, it would be time to perform some _psychological _experiments on her, since all the experiments ever performed have been largely physical and denoting only-"

The file snapped shut with a finality that sent Ichigo sputtering into silence. Takazuki looked at the small woman thoughtfully.

"You want to take the specimen out of the facility?"

He'd read ahead in the report; Ichigo had meant to convince him of the dire need to examine the social development of the specimen before suggesting allowing her to leave the facility for a time.

"Er – well – eventually, yes," Ichigo stammered brokenly. She wringed her hands. "Of course, my colleagues and I would absolutely understand if you said that that was totally unacceptable, Takazuki-dono, we would never assume that you would immediately agree to-"

Takazuki held up a hand; Ichigo tottered into silence once more.

The black-suited man looked at the specimen once more, examining her speculatively. While it was true that the idea of the experiment intrigued him, Takazuki knew that the girl inside that room was one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. He wouldn't soon forget all the things they'd discovered about her; the strange purple lights, the stone she kept hidden at all times, the sword she occasionally pulled out of her own arm. There was far too much they didn't know about her for her to be allowed to leave the safety of the facility, for her own as well as other's well-being.

The indecisive frown on Takazuki's face was starting to make Ichigo panic. Despite her words, her entire future was balancing on this very moment.

"Er – Takazuki-dono," Ichigo started up again, "I'm not sure if you read in the report, but the specimen would be guarded at all times by three willing scientists."

That got the man's attention. Takazuki glanced at Ichigo, his expression neutral. Ichigo took that as permission to continue.

"My – my family has volunteered to take the specimen in as our own daughter," Ichigo explained breathlessly. "We will treat her as our own daughter, and maybe eventually, when she has one of her memory lapses, she will create an entire life of her own. _That_'_s_ the beauty of this experiment. The power of upbringing in relation to the recovery of amnesiac's memory!"

Takazuki was unconsciously nodding, a small smile creasing his elderly face. He looked once more at the specimen, wondering.

"What are your family's names?" He asked purely out of curiosity.

"My husband's name is Higurashi Roku," Ichigo said happily, "And my daughter is Sakura."

_Kagome_

A loud bellow jerked me from my dreams; they had involved Kirara telling me that Grandpa had eaten too much ice-cream and needing to get him to the Phantom of the Opera for treatment. I shook my head as consciousness snapped into me.

"What? What's happening?" I shouted groggily.

I quickly surveyed the situation.

Inuyasha was on his feet, facing toward the island in the middle of the shallow lake, Tetsusaiga drawn and ready for battle. I assumed it was his voice that had woken me.

Sango and Miroku were battle-ready too, as was Kirara in her sabre-toothed form. All three were facing the island as well, Kirara's hackles raised as she hissed ferociously.

Shippou was shivering beside me.

"Nee-chan, nee-chan!" Shippou squeaked as I came to; he gripped my arm tightly. "It's Aoi! Aoi's-"

I didn't wait for an explanation. I leapt to my feet, taking Shippou with me, and dashed to the edge of the lake to stand beside Inuyasha.

I gaped in shock and sudden, terrible fear.

The great dragon I recognised as Ryuusai's demon form had crushed the tiny shrine easily under her huge clawed feet. The small platform had snapped evenly in two under her weight, and her thrashing tail had pulverised much of the greenery on the other side of the lake.

"What happening-" I started to shout to Inuyasha. Then my eyes caught sight of something that made me gag.

Aoi had pinned Oboe under one massive front foot. And her mouth was dripping with Oboe's blood as she tore off her head.


	40. Chapter 39

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 39

_Inuyasha_

"_Damnit_!" I swore under my breath; I'd only noticed that Blue-girl was missing when the dragon had started attacking. How could I have let my guard down like that?!

Oboe's body slipped under the surface of the lake, disappearing from view; I had no idea how the dragon wasn't sinking – the thing must have weighed a ton – but its attention soon turned on us, tiny specks on the edge of the muddy waterline in comparison to its huge, scaly size, so I didn't have time to worry about that.

I was no fool; I could tell this wasn't a battle we could win. "_Run_!" I yelled to no-one in particular. I grabbed Kagome around the waste and leapt into the trees, away from the lake.

A series of loud splashes indicated that the dragon was following, its wailing shrieks piercing my sensitive ears painfully; squinting, I forced myself to keep leaping from branch-to-branch, desperately trying to find a place from which I could fight the beast properly.

_I know these people, right? Who are they? Are they… my family? But, I don't have a family. The people in white told me as much. I killed my family. They told me as much. But then, who are these people? Why do they feed me, and let me be free? Why do they hug me, and send me away to learn? Why do they let me be with others? Are they… mine? But if they are mine, or I theirs, why do I sometimes see repulsion on their faces? Why do I hear frightened whispers, when it's dark and they think I can't hear? Who are they? Who am I? Where am I?_

"She had another episode," I heard Father whisper. I lifted my head slightly, eavesdropping on the conversation. "I thought you said they didn't happen this often?"

"She's got a lot to take in," Mother whispered back. I heard the soft clinks and scrubs of dishes being washed, but their voices were loud enough for me to hear. Were they talking about Onee-chan? "She hasn't been here long enough. Give her time."

"Was this really such a good idea?" Father continued to fret; a cupboard opened. A dull thud as he set the plate he'd been drying in the cupboard. The cupboard closed. "She's already hurt you twice. What if she gets out before she's done? What if she kills someone?"

"It'll be alright." A decisive declaration, not a comment designed to console. Father quietened for a moment, but continued a moment later.

"You can't seriously want to send her to _school_-"

"Enough, Roku," Mother snapped loudly. If I'd been asleep, it would have been enough to wake me. They stopped what they were doing, the soft clinks and scrubbing ceasing for a moment as they listened. I didn't make a sound.

"Everything will be alright," Mother repeated. The sounds resumed. "The experiment is already working wonderfully. This morning, she called me 'Mother'. She's learning. It's only a matter of time."

"But Takazuki-dono-"

"Takazuki has nothing to do with this. She's almost ready. That's all I'll hear of it, Roku."

"… of course, Ichigo."

_Kagome_

"Inuyasha!" I gasped; Inuyasha's arm was wrapped so tightly around my waist that it was difficult to breathe. "Inu_yasha_! Put me _down_!"

He wasn't listening; not that I could really blame him. The loud splashes had turned to crashes as Aoi's dragon form broke through to the trees surrounding the lake. I'd lost sight of Sango and the others, and the dragon seemed to be chasing _us_.

"Inuyasha!" I yelled again. "_Sit, boy_!"

Inuyasha yelped loudly as he lost his footing on the branch he'd been aiming for, and plummeted down into the mud bellow. I landed on top of him, his back cushioning my fall; I heard a loud crack.

"_Argh_! Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. I bounced off him. "What the hell was _that_ for?!"

"You weren't listening to me!" I snapped back. I grabbed my bow and an arrow from the quiver slung across my shoulders. "Why are we running away? We're not just going to leave Aoi!"

Inuyasha tried to leap to his feet, but winced as his back cracked. Gingerly holding his spine with one hand, he slowly staggered upright. "Are you _stupid_? That ain't Blue-girl anymore, Kagome! That's Ryuusai! Or the jewel, or something!"

"Yes," I agreed with a pleading voice, "But Aoi is still _in _there! We can't leave her, _or _hurt her!"

Inuyasha's face puckered. "We can't _hurt_ her?! How the hell do you expect us to fight her then, you idiot?!"

I tried to reply, but suddenly the tree we'd fallen next to exploded. My scream was drowned out by Aoi's ear-splitting wail. I whisked around, my eyes popping wide as goose eggs as I realised how close the dragon actually was.

Aoi – the dragon – was towering above me, one clawed hand shaking off the splinters of the tree she'd just demolished. Her eyes, the jade green I recognised as my cousin's, were slitted like a snake's and cold as ice.

I'm not sure what happened after that. My mind screamed at my legs to run and hide, but at the same time, it told me that despite everything, this dragon was _Aoi_. My dear, favourite cousin. She wouldn't hurt me. She _wouldn't_…

Time seemed to freeze for a moment. The dragon and I stared at each other, my head tipped back, its head slightly lowered. It snaked its head to the side, so that only one of its green eyes could see me. Study me.

Though we were too far apart to touch, my hand slowly raised of its own accord. Something inside me was… _calling _to my cousin. And somehow, through the coldness of that eye, I could feel Aoi calling back to me, reaching desperately for me through the mind of the dragon…

_These people are my family. They love me. I love them. They are mine. I am theirs. Yet still, I see them watching me – fearing me. Why are they afraid? Do I frighten them? If so, am I frightening? My friends love me. My teachers love me. My band-members love me. Why, then, does my family fear me? Who am I? _What _am I? Will they ever truly love me?_

Takazuki read through the document thoughtfully, one finger absent-mindedly stroking his temple where a head-ache was starting to throb. He glanced at Ichigo over the top of the papers, studying her as much as the notes.

The woman looked happier and more confident than the last time he'd seen her, four months ago. She had good reason to look this way; if the reports in his hand were accurate – and true – then she may have made a break-through in her field.

The documents fell onto Takazuki's clean desk with a soft rustle. He leaned forward in his chair, folding his fingers together under his chin, and looked directly at Ichigo for the first time since she'd entered the room.

"I find all this very hard to believe," Takazuki said in his usual, cool voice. "Would you please elaborate for me?"

"Of course, Takazuki-dono," Ichigo replied immediately. She smiled widely, and elaborated. "As the report states, the subject has produced for herself a full set of new memories, none of them including her old parents, her time at the facility or any of the facility's staff. She has roughly fifteen years of memories – the same as her body's approximate age – and has begun acting like an average fifteen-year-old girl."

"How does she explain her appearance?" Takazuki asked doubtfully. "Surely the specimen doesn't believe that her hair and eye colours are normal."

Ichigo smiled gleefully at this. "She knows she's not human. She's invented some kind of story in her mind in which doctors – GP's, not experts – have told her that she's… how did she put it, a 'mutant freak'?"

Takazuki smiled at the phrase, but put on a serious look as a thought occurred to him. "In your report, you said that the stone… changed _other people's _memories, also. Care to explain?"

"Of course," Ichigo said again. "Though we have no idea how, the specimen used the stone to tap into the memories of those around her. Teachers, new friends, classmates – all of them remember her as being with them for years, have created experiences with her that they never had, and care for her as one of their own. And the stone didn't do this by itself, as it usually did with the specimen here in the facility; the specimen _herself_ physically used the stone, holding it to children's foreheads around corners at school, and such. It was quite fascinating to watch, though of course we still have no idea _how _she was able to do it."

Takazuki's expression changed. He now looked like an awfully wrinkled three-year-old receiving a Christmas present.

"You have my permission to continue the experiment," Takazuki announced. He stood up and held out a hand; Ichigo shook it enthusiastically.

Ichigo's face fell slightly as she remembered something. "Erm – Takazuki-dono?"

Takazuki had already reclaimed his seat; he looked up at her. "What is it?"

"Actually, my – my family has a tradition, you see, of going to Tokyo to visit our extended family there – my husband's brother's family. It's almost time for us to go there again, and if there's no need to worry about my family tampering with the experiment – I mean, they might even _help_ with the experiment-"

Takazuki held up a hand. Ichigo stuttered into silence.

"You have my permission to take the specimen to your extended family's place in Tokyo. Just make sure she stays out of trouble."


	41. Chapter 40

Kage Houseki no Himitsu

Chapter 40

_What is this place? I haven't been here before. Or have I? It somehow seems… familiar. But not here; not in this time. Some other place – a distant memory that is not my own, yet somehow _is _my own…_

"How are we going to explain Aoi?" Roku asked his wife in a hushed whisper. "We can't say that she's our daughter, _their _relative, and we can't say that she's not, or else she'll have another episode. This was a terrible idea, Ichigo!"

The woman folded her arms defiantly. "She'll adapt."

"_How_?" Roku demanded, forgetting to whisper. "I'm not going to let that _thing _do anything to my family!"

"She won't change much," Ichigo reminded her husband softly. "Only that which is necessary for her to be accepted."

_I do not know these people, nor do they know me. Yet they _should_ know me. Will I be found out? They must be eliminated. _

"Uncle Roku! Aunt Ichigo! Sakura-san!"

Kagome's face split into a huge grin as her extended family stepped into view over the ancient steps of the Shrine. She started to run to Sakura, her one and only cousin who she hadn't seen in three years – then she pottered to a stop.

A girl wearing a cap had followed behind them, her green eyes wide with worry.

"Who's this?" Kagome asked with puzzlement; was her hair _blue_? Who was this girl?

Roku cast a weary glance at his wife, then smiled widely. "What? You don't remember Aoi? She's our daughter, your cousin, Kagome-chan!"

Aoi and Kagome's eyes met, each looking highly confused. Then, suddenly, the green eyes of the blue-haired girl became cold. Someone else's eyes. Kagome took a step back, suddenly afraid. "Wha-?"

Aoi fished in her pocket, and drew out a purple-black gem; Kagome gasped. "What the-?! Is that the Sacred Jewel?!"

Ichigo and Roku exchanged a surprised glance, but didn't stop the girl as she advanced toward their niece, the now glowing stone outstretched.

Kagome backed up further. "N-no! You stay away from me!" She cast a terrified glance toward the Bone Eater's Well, desperately wishing that Inuyasha would show up in time to save her.

_Four sets of memories altered. My family. My _extended_ family. Kagome, Souta, Mrs Higurashi and Grandpa. Kagome is my favourite. She knows something about me – about _me_. She must be further investigated. Because… I don't know what I am. Yet, she recognised me. _Me_. Not the girl who wields me._ Me_, the stone. 'Kokuei'._

_Kagome_

I could hear Inuyasha yelling at me to run, but I still couldn't move. Aoi was _in_ there, reaching, calling, from within the mind of the crazed dragon. If I could somehow find a way to pull her out-

"_Move_, you idiot!"

A lungful of air was forced from my lungs as Inuyasha grabbed me around the waist and yanked me away; the connection was broken. I gasped, wide-eyed.

"Wh-what happened?" I asked, struggling in Inuyasha's grasp as he leapt up into the trees again.

"I don't know, and I don't care," he growled. He cast me an angry glance. "Do _not _do that again, you hear me? We're getting out of here."

"No – Inuyasha – _wait_!"

"Inuyasha!"

We both looked around; Sango, Miroku and Shippou guided Kirara to fly next to us, all looking out of breath and tattered from running through the swamp.

"What do we do?" Sango yelled across to us. "Do we fight it?"

"No-" I started a yell back, but Inuyasha interrupted me.

"We find a good place, _then _we fight," Inuyasha grunted. Sango and Miroku nodded, and flew ahead of us to scout out a suitable location. Shippou and I exchanged panicked looks as we passed each other.

"Inuyasha, _listen_ to me!" I shouted.

"No! You're gonna do something stupid."

"Just give me a minute, I almost had her-"

Inuyasha landed on a broad branch, and unexpectedly dropped me; I squeaked and landed on my rump. I glared up at Inuyasha accusingly, despite the fact I'd told him to 'sit' only a few moments before.

"What was that for-?"

Inuyasha grabbed me by both arms, pulled me to my feet, and pushed me – none too gently – against the trunk of the tree we'd landed in. "Ow!"

My face flushed scarlet; Inuyasha was almost nose-to-nose with me, holding me in place against the tree trunk. Was he about to kiss me?! _Now_?!

"Don't you understand?" Inuyasha growled. He wasn't yelling anymore. His voice was unexpectedly soft; my blush deepened involuntarily. "Aoi _isn't_ in there, Kagome. That's what that Oboe chick was afraid of; that letting her see _all _her memories would drive her insane. That's what happened. Don't you _get_ it?"

I took a moment to gather my thoughts; I could hear the crashings of the great dragon drawing closer. I gulped. "I – I know that, but-"

"Then stop being stupid, and let us take care of it!" He shook me slightly; his claws were starting to dig painfully into my flesh.

"Just _listen_!" I snapped. Inuyasha frowned, but finally decided to obey. "Before, when I wasn't moving… I had a – a kind of _connection_ with Aoi. She _is_ in there, I know it! I just need to figure out a way to get her out!"

Inuyasha studied me for a moment. He was so _close_.

"… fine," he finally muttered. He released me – I immediately rubbed my sore arms – and he turned his back to me. I thought for a moment that he was about to leave me there, but instead he squatted. Without hesitated, I clambered onto his back.

We could see Kirara's flames flickering not too far from the tree we'd been in; that must have been the place where Miroku and Sango had chosen to fight from. I glanced behind us to see where the dragon was – it was close. _Very _close; so close that if it wanted to, it could probably reach out and swat Inuyasha and I from the air.

"Watch out!" I heard Shippou squeal; at first I thought that the dragon was doing just what I'd thought it would do; I braced for the impact of its clawed hand hitting us in mid-flight-

Then I felt something akin to an electric shock seize my entire body, so indescribably painful and horrible that I won't even attempt it. I felt the pain, then I felt nothing at all.

xXxX

Hey, guys! Long time, no speak! Sorry if you don't like this story arc (I usually tell an arc's popularity by the amount of critiques I get, and so far, I've had zilch. o.o), but it's nearly over, so not to worry!

So that this doesn't happen again (an unpopular arc, I mean), would you guys mind telling me what you'd like to hear about next? Unfortunately Kagome and Aoi's relationship can't be the same after all this arc, but we can still have comical stuff rather than dramatic stuff again if you want to go back to that sort of thing.

Let me know in a comment or PM, and I'll see if I can't make this story better.

I love all your faces! :)


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